Alert Messenger: Lawsuit aims to fix the 'horrific' mental health crisis in Missouri jails Nov 24, 2025 Nov 24, 2025 0 The infirmary at the 51ºÚÁÏ County Jail is seen on Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, in Clayton. Laurie Skrivan | Post-Dispatch Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Metro columnist Author email Follow Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Sheriffs across Missouri are dealing with the same nagging problem. Their jails are increasingly full of people who have mental health needs.kAm$@>6 @7 E9@D6 7@=<D 2C6?’E DFAA@D65 E@ 36 :? ;2:=] %96J’G6 366? @C56C65 3J 2 ;F586 E@ E96 4FDE@5J @7 E96 DE2E6 s6A2CE>6?E @7 |6?E2= w62=E9 3642FD6 E96JVG6 366? 564=2C65 :?4@>A6E6?E[ @C F?7:E E@ DE2?5 EC:2=] qFE E96 DE2E6 5@6D?’E 92G6 6?@F89 >6?E2= 365D[ D@ E96 >6? 2?5 H@>6? 2C6 DEF4< :? ;2:=D[ H9:49 2C6?VE 6BF:AA65 E@ 92?5=6 E96:C ?665D]k^AmkAmw6C6’D 9@H @?6 D96C:77 56D4C:365 E96 5:=6>>2[ :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>:DD@FC:2AA=6D665]@C8^>6?E2=\962=E9\?665D\:?\>:DD@FC:\;2:=D^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm2? 2?@?J>@FD DFCG6Jk^2m 4@?5F4E65 3J E96 ?@?AC@7:E |:DD@FC: pAA=6D665 @C82?:K2E:@?ik^Am People are also reading… As sales drop, 51ºÚÁÏ restaurants issue pleas on social media. 'Help us get through' Man in SLU emergency room pulled gun from bag, shot self Chaos closes out Sexyy Red’s high-energy concert in 51ºÚÁÏ Airport police fatally shoot knife-wielding man at 51ºÚÁÏ Lambert Cardinals non-tender 4, including John King and Yohel Pozo. But door is still open. Judge shouts down 51ºÚÁÏ sheriff's lawyer during trial. 'We have gone way astray' Cardinals bring back Yohel Pozo on major league deal, sign pitchers to minor league pacts Sonny Gray waives no-trade clause so Cardinals can deal him to Boston for 3 players Messenger: 51ºÚÁÏ archbishop joins call against 'vilifying immigrants and refugees' We asked MLB execs which NL Central club will next win World Series. Anyone say Cardinals? St. Charles County judge faces discipline for wearing Elvis wig, talking politics on bench Some 51ºÚÁÏ residents are seeing huge spikes in property taxes. What happened? Fired finance chief details lavish purchases, retaliation in 51ºÚÁÏ Sheriff’s Office The Cardinals sent 8 prospects to the Arizona Fall League. Here’s how each did. Plan for sidewalk riles Creve Coeur neighborhood. City could use eminent domain. kAm“x 92G6 2 3:8 8FJ[ 23@FE e’c†2?5 b__ A@F?5D[ H9@ 962CD G@:46D] (96? 96’D :? W86?6C2= A@AF=2E:@?X[ 96 DE2CED 7:89ED H96? 96 E9:?<D @E96CD 2C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE 9:>] tG6CJ@?6 6=D6 82?8D FA @? 9:> 2?5 6?5D FA :?;FC65[†E96 D96C:77 HC@E6]k^Am kAm“x 92G6 E@ AFE 9:> :? D@=:E2CJ E@ <66A 9:> 7C@> 9FCE:?8 @E96CD @C 86EE:?8 362E FA[ 3FE H96? 96’D :? D@=:E2CJ 96 4C:6D 7C@> =@?6=:?6DD] xE’D 962CE3C62<:?8] x 5@?’E <?@H H92E E@ 5@] w6’D 366? 2DD6DD65 :?4@>A6E6?E ]]] 3FE 92D 366? H2:E:?8 7@C 2 365 7@C @G6C 2 J62C] x’G6 42==65 2?J@?6 x 42? E9:?< @7 E@ ECJ 2?5 86E 9:> @FE @7 96C6[ H:E9 ?@ =F4<]â€k^Am kAm%96C6 2C6 ?62C=J d__ DF49 A6@A=6 24C@DD |:DD@FC: — DEF4< :? 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E9@D6 4@?5:E:@?D :D @?=J 8@:?8 E@ 6I246C32E6 E96:C 6I:DE:?8 :==?6DD]â€k^Am Messenger: Need state mental health care in Missouri? Get arrested. Every state-run mental health bed in Missouri is being used by the criminal justice system. Messenger: Social media harassment case shows the mental health crisis in Missouri jails There are 490 defendants in Missouri who are stuck in local jails, with their cases in limbo. They are waiting for mental health treatment. Messenger: One man gets a break from jail but Missouri still has a mental health crisis Missouri has 440 people in city or county jails awaiting transfer to the Department of Mental Health. But there are no beds. 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Metro columnist Author email Follow Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Most Popular Messenger: 51ºÚÁÏ archbishop joins call against 'vilifying immigrants and refugees' “Vilifying immigrants and refugees is not only un-Christian. But I believe it goes against who we are as citizens of the United States.†Messenger: 51ºÚÁÏ man loses fight to overturn murder conviction from 1983 prison riot Attorneys for Rodney Carr presented three days of evidence to show why he was innocent of murder. The judge wasn't covinced. Messenger: Need state mental health care in Missouri? Get arrested. Every state-run mental health bed in Missouri is being used by the criminal justice system. Messenger: The shutdown is over but SNAP recipients in Missouri are still hungry An ongoing lawsuit highlights how broken the SNAP program is in Missouri, with thousands of people unable to get the food they need.
Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Metro columnist Author email Follow Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Messenger: Need state mental health care in Missouri? Get arrested. Every state-run mental health bed in Missouri is being used by the criminal justice system.
Messenger: Social media harassment case shows the mental health crisis in Missouri jails There are 490 defendants in Missouri who are stuck in local jails, with their cases in limbo. They are waiting for mental health treatment.
Messenger: One man gets a break from jail but Missouri still has a mental health crisis Missouri has 440 people in city or county jails awaiting transfer to the Department of Mental Health. But there are no beds.Â
Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Metro columnist Author email Follow Tony Messenger | Post-Dispatch Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Messenger: 51ºÚÁÏ archbishop joins call against 'vilifying immigrants and refugees' “Vilifying immigrants and refugees is not only un-Christian. But I believe it goes against who we are as citizens of the United States.â€
Messenger: 51ºÚÁÏ man loses fight to overturn murder conviction from 1983 prison riot Attorneys for Rodney Carr presented three days of evidence to show why he was innocent of murder. The judge wasn't covinced.
Messenger: Need state mental health care in Missouri? Get arrested. Every state-run mental health bed in Missouri is being used by the criminal justice system.
Messenger: The shutdown is over but SNAP recipients in Missouri are still hungry An ongoing lawsuit highlights how broken the SNAP program is in Missouri, with thousands of people unable to get the food they need.
