Lawsuit filed by former inmates demands better services for Ohio parolees with mental illness

A lawsuit filed by the Ohio Justice and Policy Center on behalf of nine former inmates alleges that Ohio is violating the constitutional rights of prisoners with mental illness by releasing them without proper access to follow-up care. Without proper treatment and services, parolees with mental illness often return to prison at a higher rate than those without a mental illness. The Ohio Justice and Policy Center stated that this raises concerns about public safety and the expense to taxpayers of re-incarcerating the individuals. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and the Ohio Department of Mental Health are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Read the complaint (PDF file)

Press coverage:

• Lawsuit: Ohio fails to help mentally ill parolees (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Mentally ill inmates sue Ohio prisons (Canton Rep)
• Ohio sued for allegedly violating rights of mentally ill parolees (Lancaster Eagle Gazette)
• Ohio suit demands postrelease care for mentally ill (Toledo Blade)

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