By Bob Walsh
California prison system's California Health Care Facility (CHCF) – Stockton
The medical system in the CA state prison system has been
operating under federal oversight for something like 30 years. It has
been alleged (accurately) that the system has been somewhere between
deficient and grossly deficient in providing medical care and mental
health care to prisoners. Today the feds slapped the state with a fine
of $111 million.
The state
is running way behind on hiring. It can take months for a prisoner who
is not actively suicidal to see a psychiatric social worker or
psychiatrist or psychologist. The judge says NOT GOOD ENOUGH and is
using a big hammer to get the state's attention.
The
state has asserted, probably correctly, that the medical and mental
health care available to prisoners is better than they would get on the
streets, even it its current mediocre level. About 30% of the mental
health professional positions are unfilled.
The state is, of course, appealing both the ruling and the fine.
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