Thursday, May 5, 2011

Inmate health care remains poor in Calif.


Report: Inmate health care remains poor in Calif.

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press
Posted: 05/04/2011

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Medical care remains below acceptable levels in more than two-thirds of California state prisons despite the billions of dollars spent by taxpayers, the prison system's independent inspector said in a report Wednesday. Just nine of the 33 adult prisons met minimum health care standards, according to the review, which is the first to survey all the facilities. Still, that finding is an improvement from an initial review of half the prisons last August, which gave passing grades to just two of 17.

A court-appointed receiver took control of inmate medical care in 2006 after a federal judge found that poor care was causing the death of an average of one inmate each week. The receiver has since increased salaries, hired more staff and improved medical facilities.

Spending has since more than doubled, from $707 million to $1.5 billion last year, according to the state Department of Finance. The cost per inmate has increased from $7,721 to $14,728, including other expenses like transporting and guarding sick inmates and providing them with dental and mental health services.

The report comes as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rule by June whether California must sharply reduce its prison population as the only way to improve the care of physically and mentally ill inmates.

The receiver's office did not immediately respond to telephone and emailed messages. In a one-paragraph letter accompanying the report, however, receiver J. Clark Kelso agreed with its findings. "We are committed to reform the California prison medical care system utilizing best practices in the most cost effective manner," Kelso wrote. He cited the receivership's "tremendous efforts and ongoing improvements."

Of the 24 prisons that fell below the minimum 75 percent score, 12 came close with scores above 70 percent, according to the inspector general's report.

Folsom State Prison east of Sacramento scored highest, at 83 percent. High Desert State Prison near Susanville was worst, at 62 percent.

Nearly every prison—30 of the 33—failed to make sure inmates received their medications, inspectors found. Only six prisons did an adequate job of getting inmates swift medical care even in an emergency.

The prisons did better when it came to nursing and providing ill inmates with continuing care.

Prisons had "alarmingly" low scores when it comes to treating tuberculosis, and did "quite poorly" in monitoring inmates on hunger strikes that lasted longer than three days.

The report evaluated five general medical categories and 20 other specific areas, using criteria developed by the receivership itself for providing acceptable levels of care.

Despite the poor grades, Acting Inspector General Bruce Monfross wrote that improvements from the August report show that "system-wide improvement can be achieved."

http://www.mercurynews.com/fdcp?unique=1304617442359  

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