A cash infusion from state leaders and new initiatives will allow the Department of Children and Families to meet state requirements to get mentally ill inmates into hospitals and out of county jails.

The amount to be given to the department is 16.6 million dollars.

Last fall, mental-health advocates and court officials lambasted the state for failing to meet a state law. This resulted in hundreds of severely ill inmates being locked up in county jails for months instead of moving them to psychiatric hospitals in 15 days as required by law. Some judges threatened to fine former D-C-F Secretary Luci Hadi and hold her in contempt.

D-C-F statistics indicate the situation is improving.

The Associated Press