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* As Mark Brown rightly notes, most of these inmates will eventually be released, so it’s in all of our interest to make things better…
On Tuesday, lawyers representing 12,000 mentally ill prisoners in Illinois asked a federal judge in Peoria to force the state to meet its agreed obligations to provide them with adequate mental health care.
The state’s “deliberate indifference to serious medical need” constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, the inmates’ lawyers argue.
The filing comes a week after a court-appointed federal monitor advised state corrections officials by letter that poor psychiatric care continues to create a “state of emergency” in Illinois prisons.
The lawyers want U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm to enforce a settlement agreement reached in May 2016 with Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration promising to overhaul mental health care in the prisons.
The court monitor, Dr. Pablo Stewart, a psychiatric consultant from San Francisco, credits the state Department of Corrections with making “substantial improvements” to its mental health care delivery system during that time.
But Stewart said those improvements have been undermined by the department’s “grossly insufficient and extremely poor quality of psychiatric services.”
Those services are “exceedingly poor and often times dangerous,” Stewart wrote.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:42 pm
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A signed Rauner settlement agreement?
Is that like a signed Rauner contract for goods and services?
Yeah, best go to court right away and get whatever relief you can.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:48 pm
>It makes a lot more sense to treat their mental illness in prison than to wait until they are back living in the community,
And a lot more on top of that to treat people before they end up in the criminal justice system. Great article, and heartbreaking.
Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:52 pm
Mental health services in Illinois are so terribly underfunded that without dramatic changes, these individuals will not get support services they need to stay out of hospitals and prisons. The system is has been just about destroyed through funding cuts and two years of no budgets. This is virtually rebuilding from scratch.
Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:29 pm
“Is that like a signed Rauner contract for goods and services”
It’s a lot more serious than that. The Administration basically committed to the US Department of Justice to met specific conditions; fail to do so and the state could be found in contempt.
Comment by We'll See Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:35 pm
Expansion of medicaid will cover them, hence lowering the burden of the cost on the state.
Comment by Worry not Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:38 pm
Lawyers ask an unelected judge , with lifetime tenure, to control 12,000 prisoners. Exactly what constitution is that in????
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:39 pm
The mentally ill need to be treated on a case by case basis. Some may need to be treated in a prison, if the prison system had the proper funding and staff to do so. Most mentally ill need to be treated by modern physiotherapy in hospitals and modern institutions. The old Bartonville’s of the world a century ago are not going to treat anyone. A new system need to be created and funded to help the sick and not punish them.
Comment by Grandpa Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:41 pm
===Exactly what constitution is that in???? ===
You must’ve missed the whole Civil Rights Era thingy.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:44 pm
-Aldyth - Sadly, it’s going to cost the State big $ to comply with the consent decree and I’m willing to bet the $s spent within DOC facilities will have a negative impact on hopes to improve community mental health services.
Comment by We'll See Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:44 pm
-Steve- The lawyers are not asking the judge to “control 12,000 prisoners.” They are asking the judge to ensure the State complies with conditions they agreed to meet.
Comment by We'll See Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:52 pm
Another example of what the citizens of a state should collectively pay for but so many refuse to accept as a function of a civil society.
“Cut taxes, We don’t need no stinkin services”.
Sheesh
Comment by don the legend Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 4:06 pm
I really don’t get it, especially after the Las Vegas shooting. Republicans, for the most part, say that we don’t need to pass any more gun laws we need to deal with mental health issues but they won’t fund mental health issues.
Comment by gdubya Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 4:15 pm
I can assure you that IDOC is doing everything they can to address the inadequate mental health treatment conditions and to become compliant with the Rasho settlement agreement. It’s not a simple task; lawyers and Judges can complain and order all they want, but there are funding issues, finding qualified staff and constructing adequate facilities. Maybe one of those pushy lawyers can give IDOC a bit of advice on how to speed up the procurement process and how to find vendors that will supply the state with materials; most vendors won’t do business with the State unless they are paid up-front - thanks, Bruce.
Comment by Bobby Hicks Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 4:26 pm
- Bobby Hicks - Maybe the Gov should go before the Federal Judge and explain himself — that would be fun.
Comment by We'll See Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 4:37 pm
When the Cook county jail is the largest provider of mental health services in the state, maybe, just maybe, it’s time to take a look at how we treat people with certain illnesses. Corrections isn’t where these people belong.
Comment by Duke of Normandy Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 4:43 pm
Mental health care in Illinois is so underfunded it is an absolute disaster. This is another fallout from the egregious pensions granted to public employees in this state. No money left for critical services, and it has been that way for years. The recent income tax increase did nothing to solve the problem. That isn’t close to being enough.
I don’t know what the solution is, but rest assured, the standard of living in Illinois will continue to deteriorate. Eventually these untreated prisoners will be released. I doubt their condition has improved while incarcerated. Raise taxes further and drive those out that can escape. Face it, there was nearly a riot when they taxed soda. People have had enough.
Thanks to all those long term legislators that created the problem.
Comment by Old Lou Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 5:53 pm
Ah, the ever elastic 14th Amendment.. What’s next?
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 8:57 pm
– What’s next?–
I’m pretty sure when you sign an agreement you’re supposed to live up to it.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 9:19 pm