YAKIMA -- After serving Washingtonians in need of competency restoration services since 2016, the Yakima Competency Restoration Center will close by August 14, 2021.
The center is scheduled to close as a part of the Trueblood Contempt Settlement Agreement approved by the U.S. District Court of Washington. All patients will transfer out of the facility by July 30, 2021.
Staffed and managed by Comprehensive Healthcare under a contract with the Department of Social and Health Services, the 24-bed site was initially scheduled to close December 31, 2021.
“Due to a staffing shortage, we came to an agreement with our partners at Comprehensive to close the facility earlier than anticipated,” said Kevin Bovenkamp, interim assistant secretary for the Behavioral Health Administration.
As DSHS transitions toward program closure, patients will continue to receive competency restoration services until July 30. If a patient’s expected length of treatment extends beyond that date, they will transfer to another competency restoration program, either at a residential treatment facility or at a state hospital within the Behavioral Health Administration.
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