§ 26B-5-371 — Utah Forensic Mental Health Facility -- Design and operation -- Security.

(1) The forensic mental health facility is a secure treatment facility.
(2) (2)(a) The forensic mental health facility accommodates the following populations:
(2)(a)(i) prison inmates displaying mental illness necessitating treatment in a secure mental health facility;
(2)(a)(ii) criminally adjudicated persons found guilty with a mental illness or guilty with a mental condition at the time of the offense undergoing evaluation for a mental condition under Title 77, Chapter 16a, Commitment and Treatment of Individuals with a Mental Condition;
(2)(a)(iii) criminally adjudicated persons undergoing evaluation for competency or found guilty with a mental condition or guilty with a mental condition at the time of the offense under Title 77, Chapter 16a, Commitment and Treatment of Individuals with a Mental Condition, who also have an intellectual disability;
(2)(a)(iv) persons undergoing evaluation for competency or found by a court to be incompetent to proceed in accordance with Title 77, Chapter 15, Defendant's Competency to Proceed, or not guilty by reason of insanity under Title 77, Chapter 14, Defenses;
(2)(a)(v) persons who are civilly committed to the custody of a local mental health authority in accordance with this part, and who may not be properly supervised by the Utah State Hospital because of a lack of necessary security, as determined by the superintendent or the superintendent's designee; and
(2)(a)(vi) persons ordered to commit themselves to the custody of the division for treatment at the Utah State Hospital as a condition of probation or stay of sentence pursuant to Title 77, Chapter 18, The Judgment.
(2)(b) Placement of an offender in the forensic mental health facility under any category described in Subsection (2)(a)(ii), (iii), (iv), or (vi) shall be made on the basis of the offender's status as established by the court at the time of adjudication.
(2)(c) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the department shall make rules providing for the allocation of beds to the categories described in Subsection (2)(a).
(3) The department shall:
(3)(a) own and operate the forensic mental health facility;
(3)(b) provide and supervise administrative and clinical staff; and
(3)(c) provide security staff who are trained as psychiatric technicians.
(4) Pursuant to Subsection 26B-5-303(3) the executive director shall designate individuals to perform security functions for the state hospital.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 46, 2025 General Session