Judge orders AZ prison health care operations takeover

US judge orders AZ prison healthcare takeover

A federal judge has ordered a takeover for health care operations at Arizona's prisons. The decision came after a lawsuit alleging years of complaints about poor medical and mental health care for prisoners.

PHOENIX - The Associated Press is reporting that a federal judge has ordered a takeover of health care operations in Arizona prisons.

The backstory:

Per the report, the decision by U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver came after a 2022 verdict that concluded Arizona had violated the rights of prisoners by giving them inadequate care that led to suffering and preventable deaths.

The AP article states that for over 10 years, the state's government was dogged by criticism that its health care system for the 25,000 inmates in state-run prisons was run in a shoddy and callous manner.

Dig deeper:

According to AP's report, the state and attorneys representing prisoners have 60 days to submit a list of candidates to run health and mental health care operations in prisons.

It should be noted that the lawsuit, according to the AP, does not cover the nearly 10,000 people who are held in private prisons for state convictions.

Big picture view:

This is not the first time such a ruling has been made for state prisons in the country, according to the AP: in 2005, a federal judge placed California's prison medical system under receivership, after it was found that an average of one inmate a week was dying from medical neglect or malpractice.

The other side:

We have reached out to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry for comment, and on Feb. 20, they released a statement that reads:

"The U.S District Court yesterday ordered the appointment of a receiver to oversee all health care services in the 9 state prisons run by the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR). 

The Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision, as it disregards the immense progress that has been made. We will aggressively pursue an appeal of this order.

Over the past three years, ADCRR has made significant, measurable improvements in health care delivery and infrastructure across Arizona’s prison complexes.  We now have approximately 1,340 full-time equivalent health care staff, compared to 841 at the time of the Court’s 2022 order. This has included additional doctors, nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, mental health staff, and other health care staff.  In total, the state has invested $1.3 billion in health care services for prison health care over the past 3 years.  

New mental health programming has been introduced, along with expanded inpatient and special needs beds and a modernized model of in-patient care led by primary care providers. Specialized programs now address drug and alcohol use and hepatitis C treatment. 

While acknowledging that full compliance with the Court’s injunction has not yet been achieved, ADCRR remains committed to demonstrating continuous improvement. The Department believes that ongoing reform and oversight from within the state’s correctional system offers the most effective path forward.

Under the Court’s receivership order, the State of Arizona (and hardworking Arizona taxpayers) will be responsible for paying all costs of the Court-appointed receiver, including any new requirements the receiver may impose on the Department. Plaintiffs have previously advised the Court that the Court-appointed receiver in California’s prisons costs the state approximately $3 million annually, in addition to the cost of requirements imposed by the receiver, but provided no estimate for the cost to Arizona. California’s receiver has been in place for twenty years, and Arizona’s receiver would likewise have no specified end date. 

Department Director Ryan Thornell commented that "if this decision stands, an exorbitantly expensive, unnecessary receiver risks disrupting the significant progress we have made in our prisons, all with no time clock on its authority. We will be promptly appealing the decision while continuing our work to comply with the Court’s orders and running a secure, safe, and accountable prison system." 

ADCRR will continue to keep the public informed as the state reviews the Court’s decision and next steps."

AZ prison dept. to appeal health care ruling

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry said the agency will "aggressively appeal" a court ruling that ordered a takeover of the prison's health care system.