Medical Services

All inmates receive medical services while confined to the facility. Inmates, who have funds, share in the cost of some services at a nominal co-pay rate. The facility has a state of the art medical area staffed around the clock by licensed professional staff. A contract physician, psychologist and dentist are on 24-hour call to ensure all inmate physical and emotional needs are met.

Taking responsibility for one's self is reinforced when it comes to health care. Inmates are educated and monitored to use as many keep-on-person (KOP) medications as possible. This reduces the amount of medical staff time required to dispense medication and, as important, teaches the inmate to be responsible for his medication.

When an inmate needs a routine medical service, he must complete a medical request sheet and drop it in the designated box. He must ready himself to go to the clinic when his unit’s clinic time is scheduled. Nurses do not go to the unit to perform a routine 'pill call' and are able to remain mostly in the medical area providing specialty care. This management policy allows the nurse to work outside the traditional role of service provider and to serve as an educator to the inmate regarding health care issues.

In March 2001, the medical area was accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. These standards are set to assure the health, safety and welfare of our inmate population and the critical components of a health care system. Accreditation status is awarded to only those facilities which meet or exceed these standards. Accreditation is an on-going process. Re-accreditation was achieved January 2007 and is good for three years.