Can dangerous schizophrenic parent get rights back to children?

I have a friend whose husband violently attacked her out of the blue with a knife in front of their children. He is schizophrenic and has spent time in a mental hospital. He is now getting ready to go to court for the knife attack because he is now considered competent after getting his meds balanced. His attorney is pushing to plead guilty by reason of insanity. Will he even have a chance to have rights to his kids?