Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_90-cv-00520/USCOURTS-caed-2_90-cv-00520-1224/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

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17 On May 17, 2022, as part of his comprehensive twenty-ninth round of monitoring in this 

18 action, the Special Master filed a monitoring report on inpatient mental health care at the six 

19 psychiatric inpatient programs (PIPs) operated by the California Department of Corrections and 

20 Rehabilitation (CDCR) (hereafter Report). ECF No. 7555. As relevant here, the Special Master 

21 recommended the court enter an order containing the following two directives, among others: 

22 1. That CDCR be ordered to develop a comprehensive plan within 30 days, under 

23 the guidance and supervision of the Special Master, and with input from the 

24 plaintiffs as appropriate, to remedy the seriously deficient staffing levels at the Lift 

25 and Shift PIPs identified in [the] report. 

26 2. Consistent with the recommendations contained in the Special Master’s 2021 

27 Inpatient Care Report, to the extent necessary to remedy any deficiencies identified 

28 in this report, within 90 days CDCR, under the guidance and supervision of the 

29 Special Master, and with input from the plaintiffs as appropriate, shall develop 

30 minimum standards for the provision of structured therapeutic activities, 

31 unstructured out-of-cell activities, treatment planning, and individual treatment, 

RALPH COLEMAN, et al., 

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

GAVIN NEWSOM, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:90-cv-0520 KJM DB P 

ORDER 

Case 2:90-cv-00520-KJM-SCR Document 7697 Filed 01/06/23 Page 1 of 4
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1 consistent with a psychiatric inpatient level of care, and shall also develop plans to 

2 provide such structured therapeutic activities, unstructured out-of-cell activities, 

3 treatment planning, and individual treatment consistent with the established 

4 minimum standards. CDCR shall further develop and implement a system for 

5 tracking and reporting adherence to the standards developed. 

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See Aug. 29, 2022 Order, ECF No. 7608, at 2 (quoting ECF No. 7555 at 164-65). 

In its August 29, 2022, the court adopted the findings in the Report in full. Id. at 6. The 

court noted it had “been encouraged recently by the constructive resolution of seemingly 

intractable issues achieved in direct discussions between the Special Master and [then] CDCR

Secretary Kathleen Allison,” the court referred the issues identified in the Special Master’s first 

and second recommendations to them for “focused discussions and reporting.” Id. at 4, 6. 

Specifically, the court directed a six-month period for discussions on a plan to remedy the serious

staffing shortages in the CDCR PIPs and a four month-period for discussions concerning the

issues covered by the Special Master’s second recommendation. The court indicated it would 

entertain a declaration from Secretary Allison at the end of each period if the issues were 

resolved. While Secretary Allison retired at the end of 2022, the Governor appointed her 

successor, former CDCR Undersecretary of Operations Jeffrey Macomber, without any 

intervening vacancy in the office of Secretary. See Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, Governor 

Newsom Names Jeffrey Macomber next CDCR Secretary as Secretary Allison Retires, Press 

Release, December 12, 2022.1 

The four month period for discussions on a proposed resolution of the development of 

“minimum standards for the provision of structured therapeutic activities, unstructured out-of-cell 

activities, treatment planning, and individual treatment, consistent with a psychiatric inpatient 

level of care” and plans for providing such activities, ended on December 29, 2022, see ECF 

No. 7608 at 5, without the Secretary’s submission of a declaration. The second period will expire 

26 at the end of February 2023. Id. at 4. 

1 See https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/12/12/governor-newsom-names-jeffrey-macombernext-cdcr-secretary-as-secretary-allison 

retires/#:~:text=SACRAMENTO%20%E2%80%93%20Governor%20Gavin%20Newsom%20tod

ay,of%20service%20at%20the%20Department (last viewed January 5, 2023). 

Case 2:90-cv-00520-KJM-SCR Document 7697 Filed 01/06/23 Page 2 of 4
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1 With Secretary Allison’s retirement, the Special Master’s recent representation to the 

2 court that productive discussions with her had stalled, and in the absence of any communication 

3 from Secretary Macomber with respect to the first discussion period, the court will vacate 

4 paragraph 2 of the August 29, 2022 order. The court will direct defendants to forthwith serve on 

5 plaintiffs and the Special Master such plans, if any, as they have developed to address the issues 

6 covered by the first and second recommendations in the Special Master’s May 2022 Report. The 

7 parties will be directed to meet and confer for a period of forty-five days under the supervision of 

8 the Special Master and to file within fourteen days thereafter a joint status report outlining the 

9 results of the meet and confer required by this order and, as appropriate, either a stipulated 

10 resolution or a schedule for motion practice if one or both issues remain unresolved. 

11 In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

12 1. Paragraph 2 of this court’s August 29, 2022 order, ECF No. 7608, is VACATED.

13 2. Within seven days from the date of this order, defendants shall serve on plaintiffs and

14 the Special Master such plans, if any, as they have developed to address the issues covered by the 

15 first and second recommendations in the Special Master’s May 17, 2022 Twenty-Ninth 

16 Monitoring Round Report on the CDCR PIPs, ECF No. 7555. 

17 3. Following service of plans as required by paragraph 1 of this order, the parties shall

18 meet and confer for a period of forty-five days in an effort to resolve the issues covered by the 

19 first and second recommendations in the Special Master’s May 17, 2022 Twenty-Ninth 

20 Monitoring Round Report on the CDCR PIPs, ECF No. 7555. 

21 4. Within fourteen days after the end of the meet and confer period required by this order,

22 the parties shall file a joint status report outlining the results of the meet and confer and, as 

23 appropriate, either a stipulated resolution or a schedule for motion practice if one or both issues 

24 remain unresolved. A status conference is set for March 24, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 

25 # 3 to monitor the parties’ progress in complying with this order and any hearings a party may 

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1 set for that date. The status conference will be vacated if the issues covered by this order are fully 

2 resolved by the March 24 date. 

3 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

4 DATED: January 5, 2023. 

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