CA Department of State Hospitals

DSH Department Letters on IST, Diversion, and CONREP Programs

CA DSH publishes a collection of departmental letters providing operational guidance to stakeholders on three forensic mental health programs: Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST), Conditional Release Program (CONREP), and Diversion. The collection includes letters dating from 2019 to 2025, with Letter 25-001 covering a new process for IST out-of-custody individuals, Letter 25-002 superseding prior diversion funding guidance, and Letter 23-003 superseding the IST Growth Cap methodology. Letters 22-001, 22-002, 23-002, and 24-003 are explicitly noted as superseded by subsequent letters. The page also includes growth cap methodology attachments, dispute processes, and rate/tier information.

DSH Regulations Governed by California Statutes

The California Department of State Hospitals publishes an index of its regulatory actions governed by California statutes, including one proposed regulation (State Hospital Visitation Process under regular rulemaking) and 21 completed regulations spanning 2016–2025. Completed regulations cover areas including patient property, contraband, enhanced treatment programs, sexually violent predator assessments, court evaluator appointments, and end-of-life options, with effective dates ranging from April 2016 to December 2025. Comments on proposed regulations may be submitted via email or U.S. Mail to the Regulations and Policy Unit.

CA DSH Patient Demographics and Forensic vs Civil Commitment Population Data Published

The California Department of State Hospitals published access to two datasets via the California Health and Human Services Agency Open Data Portal: patient demographics broken down by age groups from Fiscal Years 2010 to 2018, and forensic versus civil commitment population counts. The page also links to annual reports (2016–2018), hospital violence reports spanning 2010–2020, quarterly seclusion and restraint data, and State Leadership Accountability Act reports.