SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County officials are warning that longstanding problems at the county jail could worsen after Laurel Ridge Treatment Center announced plans to lay off more than 600 workers, a move expected to reduce available mental health beds and potentially push more people into the jail system.
A notice sent on Monday said 648 employees would lose their jobs. According to the letter, the layoffs were set to take effect in June.
The Bexar County Jail has already been dealing with overcrowding, jail deaths, and staffing shortages, and county leaders say the loss of mental health capacity in the community could add to those pressures…