The North Sound Mental Health Administration said Thursday it could not fund the prosecutor’s office for mental health commitments as requested by county Prosecutor Rich Weyrich.

Weyrich had given the administration until July 10 to come up with a funding method, after which he said he would no longer staff hearings for what he called an “unfunded mandate.”

North Sound Director Chuck Benjamin said most of the agency’s funding sources could not be used for legal fees or were already allocated to other programs. He suggested the prosecutor work with North Sound to promote legislation that would fund the program.

The hearings determine whether hospitals can detain patients who are a danger to themselves or others, or are severely mentally disabled. Through the Involuntary Treatment Act, hospitals can detain and treat mentally ill patients against their will for 72 hours, after which the court can allow further treatment.

Weyrich was in court Thursday and was not immediately available for comment.

He previously said his office could no longer justify spending money on the 800 commitment hearings each year. He requested North Sound fund $70,000 for attorney fees and $50,000 for support staff.

Health care providers from United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley and Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon worry what will happen at their facilities if they are unable to detain potentially dangerous patients.

* See the Skagit Valley Herald print edition on Friday for the full story or read it online on the E-edition, available with subscription.