Every year, thousands of mentally ill men and women languish in Texas' county jails. Incapable of standing trial, they wait in line behind hundreds of other people — sometimes over a year — for a bed in a state hospital to get the help they need. As Texas' population booms, its leaders have recognized this problem is also growing, but their efforts to shrink the backlog have failed. In 2019, the number of people stuck on the state's waitlist — with their cases stalled and constitutional rights possibly violated — reached historic levels. These are the stories of the families caught up in this broken system and the state's struggle to find solutions.
After an uneasy episode lands her sword-wielding son in jail, a Williamson County mother waits three months for his transfer to a state hospital for help.
A downward PTSD spiral led a veteran to shoot up his parents' Comal County home, resulting in a four-year pre-trial loop between jail and state hospitals.
A woman's murder at an Austin gas station leaves her loved ones still seeking justice 20 years later and a schizophrenic suspect stuck in an aging system.
The number of Texas inmates waiting for state hospital beds steadily rose from just over 200 in February 2015 to a record 1,017 in November 2019.
While Texas redesigns state hospitals, some counties focus on mental health inside jails to reduce wait times, but critics question the effectiveness of such stressful environments.
Some Texas courts and counties work together to divert arrestees to services outside of jail in the community, but there are challenges with decisions and resources.
Catalyst is a specialty unit within the KXAN investigative team focused on "digital-first" storytelling that aims to make a positive change in society. The group takes a multi-platform, innovative approach to each project and rotates among various investigators. Josh Hinkle, David Barer, Arezow Doost, Chris Nelson, Eric Henrikson, Robert Sims and Rachel Garza are the journalists behind "Locked in Limbo." KXAN's Chad Cross, Dax Dobbs, Stephanie Dockery, Will DuPree, Ben Friberg, Rolando Hernandez, Alex Hoder, Eric Lefenfeld, Matt Mitchell, Bob Osborn, Martin Sanchez, John Thomas and Kate Winkle contributed to this project. Special thanks to Karen Ranus, executive director of the NAMI-Central Texas, for her expertise on the Catalyst podcast.
