Arizona Department of Corrections agrees to major improvements in prison health care, one week before federal trial set to begin

Wasted Honor -

Carl R. ToersBijns is the author of the Wasted Honor Trilogy [Wasted Honor I,II and Gorilla Justice] and his newest book From the Womb to the Tomb, the Tony Lester Story, which is a reflection of his life and his experiences as a correctional officer and a correctional administrator retiring with the rank of deputy warden in the New Mexico and Arizona correctional systems.

Carl also wrote a book on his combat experience in the Kindle book titled - Combat Medic - Men with destiny - A red cross of Valor -

Carl is considered by many a rogue expert in the field of prison security systems since leaving the profession. Carl has been involved in the design of many pilot programs related to mental health treatment, security threat groups, suicide prevention, and maximum custody operational plans including double bunking max inmates and enhancing security for staff. He invites you to read his books so you can understand and grasp the cultural and political implications and influences of these prisons. He deals with the emotions, the stress and anxiety as well as the realities faced working inside a prison. He deals with the occupational risks while elaborating on the psychological impact of both prison worker and prisoner.

His most recent book, Gorilla Justice, is an un-edited raw fictional version of realistic prison experiences and events through the eyes of an anecdotal translation of the inmate’s plight and suffering while enduring the harsh and toxic prison environment including solitary confinement.

Carl has been interviewed by numerous news stations and newspapers in Phoenix regarding the escape from the Kingman prison and other high profile media cases related to wrongful deaths and suicides inside prisons. His insights have been solicited by the ACLU, Amnesty International, and various other legal firms representing solitary confinement cases in California and Arizona. He is currently working on the STG Step Down program at Pelican Bay and has offered his own experience insights with the Center of Constitutional Rights lawyers and interns to establish a core program at the SHU units. He has personally corresponded and written with SHU prisoners to assess the living conditions and how it impacts their long term placement inside these type of units that are similar to those in Arizona Florence Eyman special management unit where Carl was a unit deputy warden for almost two years before his promotion to Deputy Warden of Operations in Safford and Eyman.

He is a strong advocate for the mentally ill and is a board member of David's Hope Inc. a non-profit advocacy group in Phoenix and also serves as a senior advisor for Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council in Chino, California As a subject matter expert and corrections consultant, Carl has provided interviews and spoken on national and international radio talk shows e.g. BBC CBC Lou Show & TV shows as well as the Associated Press.

I use sarcasm, satire, parodies and other means to make you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Arizona Department of Corrections agrees to major improvements in prison health care, one week before federal trial set to begin

Reported by Wendy Halloran News12 =
New developments in a continuing 12 News investigation. A win for prisoners and their families in this state. First the Arizona Department of Corrections refused to admit there is a dire problem with regards to the administering of health care to state prisoners. Today, a settlement agreement has been reached in the class action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, ACLU’s National Prison Project, The Prison Law Office, Perkins Coie, Jones Day and the Arizona Center for Disability Law against the Arizona Department of Corrections on behalf of 33-thousand prisoners.
The landmark case filed in 2012 was scheduled to go to trial next week in federal court in U.S District Judge Neil Wake’s courtroom. The lawsuit alleges prisoners are not receiving adequate medical care which led to deaths, mental health care and dental care. It also alleges excessive use of solitary confinement.
According to the terms of the settlement agreement, the Arizona Department of Corrections agrees to better monitor prisoners with diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions. The settlement also requires DOC to overhaul the rules for prisoners with serious mental illnesses in solitary confinement. Instead of spending all but six hours a week in their cells, these prisoners will now have a minimum of 19 hours a week outside the cell, and this time must include mental health treatment.
Restrictions will be placed on corrections staff when it comes to the use of pepper spray on specific inmates. Chemical agents shall only be used on inmates deemed seriously mentally ill, referred to as “SMI” in case of an “imminent threat.” That means if a severely mentally ill inmate tries to escape or poses a threat to security or himself, pepper spray can be used but should be considered a last resort.
Prisoners lawyers will monitor the care their clients are receiving by the private contracted health care provider, Corizon to make sure the state is in compliance. Attorneys’ and experts for the plaintiffs will also be given access to the prisons and documentation to make sure DOC is complying with the settlement agreement. They will be allowed twenty “tour days” per year inside Arizona’s 10 prison facilities.
According to the settlement terms, the DOC will be required to recommend a certain budget to the Arizona Legislature that will allow it to modify the current health care contract it has with Corizon, to increase staffing and mental health care positions. DOC is to ensure that all prisoners will be offered a yearly influenza vaccination. All inmates with chronic diseases will be given the required immunizations in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control. All female prisoners age 50 and older will be offered mammogram screening. Then every 24 months unless more frequent screening is indicated on the inmates medical chart.
“The Arizona Department of Corrections has agreed to changes that will save lives,” Director of the Prison Law Office, Don Specter said. “This settlement will bring more humane treatment for prisoners with serious health care needs, and the potential for their conditions to improve rather than worsen.” In the settlement paperwork, DOC denies all of the allegations in the complaint and maintains the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing or liability. The settlement agreement is to remain in effect for at least four years before either party moves to terminate the agreement.
The DOC has agreed to pay attorneys' fees, totaling 4.9 million dollars to the ACLU of Arizona and the other lawyers which brought forth the suit. Our investigation revealed the state farmed out the defense of this lawsuit to private law firm Struck, Wieneke & Love in Chandler. Legal billing records obtained by 12 News show the private law firm has previously billed the state more than 3 million dollars for its work and that doesn’t take into account the last few months. When it’s all said and done, legal fees for both sides cost Arizona taxpayers roughly more than 8 million dollars in an effort to improve health care inside Arizona’s prison system.