Federal Consent Decrees in Correctional Psychiatry: Legal Foundations, Implementation, and Systems Impact at the New Orleans Justice Center
Location
LSUHSC-NO
Publication Date
April 2026
Start Date
9-4-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
9-4-2026 2:00 PM
Description
Initially conceived to address civil rights violations in the United States justice system, federal consent decrees may serve to facilitate transparency in providing the "highest level attainable" psychiatric care to incarcerated persons. Notably, the New Orleans Justice Center ["OJC"], one of the nation's largest urban correctional facilities, has been under such federal oversight since 2013. The consent agreement "specifically target[s] the systemic problems that caused the unconstitutional conditions at the jail" including "inadequate medical care, and risks of suicide and mental health decompensation." We will review foundational knowledge about consent decrees including legal origins, structure, and enforcement mechanisms. Followed by how consent agreements identify systemic deficiencies and mandate institutional reforms, often requiring coordination across multiple governmental and healthcare entities. Using OJC as a case example, we will outline the process of implementing the consent decree and key events that [..abstract text ends]
Recommended Citation
Karnes, Sara MD; Coleman, Chuck MD, D.F.A.P.A.; Thurber, Steven PhD, ABPP, ABAP; and Bailey, Rahn MD, D.F.A.P.A., "Federal Consent Decrees in Correctional Psychiatry: Legal
Foundations, Implementation, and Systems Impact at the New Orleans
Justice Center" (2026). Dept. of Psychiatry Research Symposium. 10.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/psych_rd/2026/posters/10
Federal Consent Decrees in Correctional Psychiatry: Legal Foundations, Implementation, and Systems Impact at the New Orleans Justice Center
LSUHSC-NO
Initially conceived to address civil rights violations in the United States justice system, federal consent decrees may serve to facilitate transparency in providing the "highest level attainable" psychiatric care to incarcerated persons. Notably, the New Orleans Justice Center ["OJC"], one of the nation's largest urban correctional facilities, has been under such federal oversight since 2013. The consent agreement "specifically target[s] the systemic problems that caused the unconstitutional conditions at the jail" including "inadequate medical care, and risks of suicide and mental health decompensation." We will review foundational knowledge about consent decrees including legal origins, structure, and enforcement mechanisms. Followed by how consent agreements identify systemic deficiencies and mandate institutional reforms, often requiring coordination across multiple governmental and healthcare entities. Using OJC as a case example, we will outline the process of implementing the consent decree and key events that [..abstract text ends]