An investigation reviewing use of force incidents at county jails found nearly a third involved someone with a mental illness
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In more than two dozen county jails across Pennsylvania, a WITF investigation found that almost one in three uses of force during the last three months of 2021 involved someone having a mental health crisis or was diagnosed with a mental illness.
WITF’s health reporter Brett Sholtis requested use-of-force reports from 60 county jails or prisons, and while most denied the request, citing a risk to jail or building safety, 25 shared their data.
“[The reports] not only have quantitative data such as what types of force were used and why, but also qualitative things like showing the mindset of the officers there and what went into their decision to use something like pepper spray or a stun gun or an electroshock device, potentially distressing and painful control measures,” says Sholtis.
Sholtis says some officers knew someone had a mental illness, but that didn’t deter them from responding to a mental health crisis with force to get compliance.
‘Long COVID’ may be more prevalent than previously believed
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A study involving tens of thousands of people infected with COVID-19 shows the wide reaching impacts of long COVID. The study out of Scotland found that of the participants, 4 in 10 reported not fully recovering from the virus months later.
“Some of the newest literature is pretty clearly stating that one out of five patients who are infected with COVID, really, regardless of the severity, will suffer from some persistent symptoms lasting upwards of 3 to 6 months, some of them even into the 12 month range,” says Dr. Briana DiSilvio, a specialist in pulmonary and critical care at Allegheny Health Network.
At the AHN’s Post-COVID-19 Recovery Clinic, DiSilvio says they most commonly see persistent symptoms of brain fog, cough, memory loss, and exercise intolerance.
DiSilvio says although the literature on treatments of “long COVID” is currently scarce, there are many trials taking place that could fill the knowledge gap.
A judge is considering if Pittsburgh voters will have a say on the annexation of Wilkinsburg into the city
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An Allegheny County judge could decide if voters in the city of Pittsburgh will have a say in the annexation of Wilkinsburg. In 2021, the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation began an effort to merge that borough with the city of Pittsburgh. Supporters pushed to get a question on the ballot and let Wilkinsburg voters decide whether they wanted to be part of the city.
The Wilkinsburg CDC had been following a 1903 annexation law, which put the decision to Wilkinsburg voters. But last week, Pittsburghers opposed to the annexation pointed out the 1903 law was overturned this past summer by lawmakers, when they passed Act 41 and consolidated other annexation laws. Those residents filed a complaint in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
“The pro-annexation side says lawmakers made a procedural error when they repealed the law by not repasting the entire text into the law that was eliminated in the new law,” explains WESA city government reporter Kiley Koscinski. “The anti-annexation side says the law was repealed regardless by Act 41 in July, so that procedure can't be used. They also say that there is a path set out in the [state] Constitution that would give Pittsburghers and Wilkinsburg voters a say.”
The court hearing over this dispute takes place tomorrow.
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