Atkins v. County of Orange.

• Position: Atkins v. County of Orange, 372 F.Supp.2d 377 - Brief Article

U.S. District Court

MEDICATION

MENTAL HEALTH

DELAY IN CARE

Atkins v. County of Orange, 372 F.Supp.2d 377 (S.D.N.Y. 2005). Jail inmates brought a [section] 1983 action against a county and corrections officers, alleging indifference to their mental health needs and mistreatment. The defendants moved to preclude expert witness testimony and for partial summary judgment. The district court granted summary judgment in part and denied it in part. The court held that the county was not deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of a jail inmate, despite the inmate's claim that he was given a "woefully inadequate dosage" of medication and was not treated in a timely manner. The court noted that the medical record revealed that the inmate was seen by the mental health unit and a psychiatrist within one day of her admission to the jail and was on a "close watch" until he was seen by mental health personnel. The court found that the county was not deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of another inmate who alleged that she was prescribed the wrong medication and was given inadequate care while she was acutely manic. The court stated that the record demonstrated that the inmate was provided with mental health care upon each admission to the jail and that she was kept on "close watch" to ensure her safety until she was able to be seen by mental health...