Governor Cuomo, the New York State Office of Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections have all been named in a lawsuit filed by a group of mentally ill prisoners who alleged to have been kept in jail past their scheduled release dates.
In the past state officials have required mentally ill prisoners be placed in supportive services and community-based housing as a precursor for their outright release but an overflow of prisoners have left some of those being held locked up behind bars.
An inmate told the New York Post that he was granted parole in May of 2017 but he was informed that due to the backlog of mentally ill inmates he would have to wait until a bed opened in community-based housing. The inmate is still being held in a maximum security prison in Auburn.
A spokesperson for the Office of Mental Health said they are aware of the problem and plan on opening 6,000 new units by 2021.
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