Periodically, the Allegheny County Jail intake staff experience an absence of mental health staff on the night shift causing some major concerns.
County jail suicide prevention specialists such as Lindsay Hayes believe the first 48 hours of a person entering a jail is critical in assessing risks of suicide.
The night shift invariably will see people in alcohol- and street drug-altered states needing in-depth screening and monitoring.
Medication delays further increase risks of individuals decompensating, needing more intense interventions.
Individuals will have to wait to be cleared to go upstairs, sleeping on a steel bench, possibly being terrified and confused, especially if this is their first time being in jail.
A backlog is created for the daylight shift, increasing their stressors in having many more people to assess and serve within a shorter period of time.
Intake areas of jails have been found to be a place where more uses of force are being used compared to other parts of a jail. Lack of adequate staff in intake increases the likelihood of people having less tolerance and more stress, risking more of a risk of a physical confrontation with security officers.
When the National Commission on Correctional Health Care conducted its assessment of problems in the jail, staffing at intake was a major concern.
Let us protect and provide to our most vulnerable: people coming off the street and into our jail.
John Kenstowicz
Morningside
The writer is an advocate working to improve working and living conditions at the Allegheny County Jail.