The Brad H. v. City of New York class action pursues the rights of people with mental illnesses in the City’s jail system at Rikers Island to have discharge planning and services upon release from custody. Discharge planning—a plan to ensure that medical care does not lapse upon release—is widely regarded as an essential component of medical care. We brought the case in 2000 to change the practice of dumping people with mental illness on the streets upon release – with two subway tokens, no medication, and no referrals to any services. Many quickly returned to jail or experienced other fallout from untreated mental illness. We won a consent decree revamping procedures and providing discharge planning for class members – including efficient Medicaid reactivation — with monitoring through 2020.

Co-counsel Urban Justice Center and pro bono co-counsel Debevoise & Plimpton