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Feb 13, 2007 7:19 pm US/Central
Healthcare Changes Underway At Dallas County Jail
by Clif Caldwell
DALLAS COUNTY (CBS 11 News) ―
Dallas County has made significant changes in how medical care is provided in its jail. The changes come after the Department of Justice investigated conditions at the jail about a year ago. Despite the timing, county leaders say they were in the process of making changes when the federal government made its demands.
County officials say an increase in staffing and budgets have improved medical care.
Dirt being scooped up by construction equipment will bring Dallas County jail inmates closer to better medical care. A jail new tower, that will connect the existing Lew Sterrett Justice Center West Tower jail and will feature heavy duty electronic doors that can be remotely operated, is slated to be complete in the fall of 2008. The 335,000-square-foot tower will replace two older existing facilities.
Twenty-seven-year-old Quincy Kinchen says the last time he was an inmate medical care was hard to get at. "It's available; it's a whole bunch of it available. I think they're just not getting it like they should."
Arguably James Mims, 53, is an example of the lack of care. The mentally ill Mims almost died in 2005. Records showed he was denied psychiatric medication for about two months and had the water to his cell turned off for nearly two weeks.
Since the Mims incident the county proposed changes at the jail and the federal Department of Justice launched an investigation to make sure they followed through. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez says, "We have gone from one floor of behavior observation individuals, to three floors."
Tuesday county leaders report 70% of the changes are done. The budget increased from $14 to $28 million, medical staffing grew from 110 to 221, and sanitation has improved.
Parkland Hospital CEO Dr. Ron Anderson says a healthier jail population is good for us all. "If we can prevent one of us from leaving the facility, and they leave in an average of five days, then downstream infections will be much less."
The new jail tower will include 2300 new beds and space for an infirmary. The new space will also help with overcrowding issues.
Part of the increase in medical staffing means that opposed to jail staff analyzing inmates medical needs, doctors, nurses, and paramedics are actually handling it.
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