Inmate advocates hope a major settlement will lead to improved conditions at Contra Costa County-run jails.
The lawsuit stems from alleged lapses in the system's medical and mental health care for inmates.
A few years back, a team of advocate attorneys began investigating Contra Costa County's jails, specifically the medical and mental healthcare accommodations for people with disabilities, said Corene Kendrick, an attorney with the Prison Law Office, which backed the inmate suit.
Kendrick said the investigation revealed a jail system that was short on healthcare staff and facilities.
"So, it would take a while if somebody was feeling suicidal, and maybe told an officer or told someone else, to have staff come out," she told KCBS Radio.
Under the threat of lawsuit, the county agreed to begin looking for solutions.
Earlier this week, both parties reached a settlement that will see hundreds-of-millions of dollars in the coming years go toward boosting healthcare staffing and treatment.
Kendrick said she is hopeful.
"It's really going to help in that cycle of arrest and re-arrest of people with mental illness," she added.
The settlement calls for court-appointed experts to monitor the jail system's progress.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff's office declined to comment for this story.
