Monitor Critical Of Delaware Inmate Health Care
The independent monitor overseeing Delaware’s state prison system says poor performance by the company providing inmate health care is hampering efforts to get the Department of Correction out from under federal supervision.
“The monitoring team continues to be concerned over the lack of stable and effective leadership at the vendor level,” independent monitor Joshua W. Martin III said in a report issued Friday. “As the monitoring team emphasized in previous reports, without stable and effective leadership, the state will be significantly hampered in its attempts to become compliant with the [memorandum of agreement between the United States Department of Justice and the State of Delaware]” …
Calling the report balanced, Department of Correction Commissioner Carl Danberg agreed there were problems with the medical vendor, Correctional Medical Services, and said he has spoken with the St. Louis-based company. “I have addressed my displeasure at the pace of progress directly to the CEO of CMS, the vendor, in very clear and uncertain terms,” Danberg said. Despite his displeasure, Danberg extended the $39 million contract with CMS for another year, saying it would cost an additional $4 million to seek a new vendor. With the state facing a $606 million budget deficit, Danberg said, it would be difficult to argue for a new contract …
Friday’s report was not entirely critical.
It found that Delaware is still trying to maintain areas of improvement highlighted in the previous report, adding that the overall timeliness of certain screening processes is “fairly good.” The monitor also found sanitation efforts have improved, although “some problem areas remain.” And the state continues to take action to remedy some of the issues surrounding the availability and use of space needed for the provision of health-related services.