Regaining State Control

Sacramento, CA – The Associated Press reports a federal judge will decide whether California will get back control of its inmate mental health facilities. The AP says the judge in Sacramento is set to hear arguments over Governor Jerry Brown’s push to regain state control of inmate mental health care after 18 years of federal oversight. California spent more than $1 billion to build mental health facilities and raise salaries for mental health workers.

Lawyers representing the state will argue today that California now provides a constitutional level of care to its prison inmates. Inmates’ attorneys say more facilities are needed and more must be done to reduce an inmate suicide rate that exceeds the national average.