A class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of people with psychiatric disabilities incarcerated in Allegheny County Jail (ACJ). The lawsuit alleges severe and systemic constitutional violations, as well as violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, for the jail’s failure to provide adequate mental health care and its discriminatory and brutal treatment of people with psychiatric disabilities.

UPDATEs

August 2024

The agreement reached in Howard v. Williams, a class action lawsuit on behalf of people with psychiatric disabilities incarcerated in Allegheny County Jail (ACJ), has been finalized and approved by the court. The agreement outlines substantial changes impacting all people with psychiatric disabilities who are currently or will, in the future, be held at ACJ.

March 2024

A milestone settlement has been reached in this class action that would require important changes to how people with psychiatric disabilities would be treated at Allegheny County Jail. Some changes include providing psychotherapy, private interview spaces for counseling, adequate staffing levels, use of force training, and limits on the amount of time in segregation for people with mental health conditions. This settlement awaits court approval.

October 2022

PILP received a favorable opinion granting class certification, citing:

Commonality is established in this case. The proposed class members are all individuals who are currently incarcerated or will be incarcerated in the future at ACJ and who suffer from a serious mental health condition. They are all subject to the patterns, practices, or policies at ACJ and the unconstitutional conditions they create. They are also subject to the same threat of harm as a result of these patterns, practices, or policies, namely, the risk of increased psychological and/or physical harm as a consequence of receiving constitutionally inadequate mental health care.