Dallas Jail Health Care Still Failing: Inspectors
A team of federal inspectors says Dallas County TX’s jail health system still can’t perform even the most basic tasks, such as giving medicine to prisoners when they arrive at the jail. The Dallas Morning News:
After four years of pouring millions of dollars into jail improvements, county officials say they expect the jail system, the nation’s seventh largest, to be a model for the rest of the country. And in their latest report, federal inspectors wrote that they remain impressed by the county’s progress. But they said “infirmary care, tracking chronic illness and mental health programming remain as significant obstacles” …
Inspectors noted delays in issuing medications, a lack of medical evaluations, inconsistent care, lack of medical care for mental-health patients, a long backlog in sick-call requests, and sanitation and maintenance lapses. The inspectors reserved their harshest language for the Lew Sterrett jail kitchen, where they found moldy ceilings that dripped water, live wires next to standing water and condensation so thick it was almost impossible to see across the room. “This combination of live electrical wires and a very wet floor poses a severe electrocution hazard,” the report said …
Commissioner John Wiley Price, who oversees jail improvements, said people get better medical care in county jails than they do in hospitals and doctors’ offices. “How many doctors’ offices are open 24 hours?” he asked. “We’re running a small city over there. And a city would not have to meet the stringent regulations that are being heaped upon us.” County commissioners have committed millions of dollars to the jail system for more staff and medical facilities to make up for inadequate spending in the past. Several large projects are nearing completion, such as new fire-safety systems and a $65 million jail tower. But the county so far has been unable to devise a system for quickly issuing needed medications to sick inmates.
There is a lot more to this story in the Dallas Morning News.