A judge has fined the state of California $50 million for failing to address the shortage of mental health providers across state prisons, The Sacramento Bee reported Oct. 23.
The fines were a result of a decadeslong, federal class-action lawsuit concerning the treatment of inmates with mental health needs. The number of such inmates continues to grow despite the state reducing its prison population from roughly 136,000 to 92,000 in the last decade.
The case first began with a federal court ruling in 1995 that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was not providing adequate mental health care to prisoners. The state’s corrections department then submitted a plan for overhauling its mental health care system to the court in 2009, and the court appointed a special master to monitor compliance.
Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller has since determined that the state has failed to meet its targets and satisfy the maximum 10% job vacancy rate required by a court order, the report said.
She will decide shortly whether to hold the state in contempt, which would order the full payment of fines.