subject: Alcohol Treatment Center In Idaho [print this page] Idaho is ordering a private prison company to pay thousands of dollars to fix problems with drug and alcohol treatment centers and medical care at the Idaho Correctional Center. The Idaho Correctional Center is accused of having ten of 13 drug and alcohol treatment center counselors without proper qualifications.
A medical audit completed by the Idaho Department of Correction earlier this year shows that the prison, which has a contract with the state, is plagued with problems. The report showed failures in administering medical care, including keeping inadequate records; delays in providing medications, immunizations and mental health care to inmates. The audit also found a lack of follow-up treatment for the prisoners.
Idaho ordered Correction Corporation of America, the owner of the prison, to come up with a detailed plan designed to correct the shortcomings but May 25, but the company has obviously missed that deadline.
The state is fining CCA for violating its contract by not providing qualified drug and alcohol treatment center counselors. Each day without compliance brings a fine of more than $2600 and to date, CCA owes the state of Idaho more than $40,000 for the violations.
Were very concerned, said Rona Siegert, director of the Idaho Department of Correction Health Services. Thats the whole purpose of the audit, to find these things before they get to a level where theyre critical.
CCA is based in Nashville, Tennesee and says it is attempting to hire qualified people for its drug and alcohol treatment program.
Our efforts to recruit qualified and credentialed addiction, alcohol and drug professionals from the available pool of local candidates continue. We are confident that these efforts will result in our company being in compliance in the near term with a fully credentialed Therapeutic Community staff, as local qualified professionals seek employment opportunities, CCA said in a written statement.
In addition, CCA officials said that several staff members will undergo drug and alcohol treatment center certification testing in the next few months. That statement is not satisfying the Idaho Department of Corrections contract administrator and quality assurance manager who says that the last of the drug and alcohol treatment certifications will not be completed until June of 2011. By that date, CCA will have accumulated more than $100,000 in fines due to the state of Idaho.
Idaho Department of Administration purchasing officer Jason Urquhart said that the Correction Department conveyed to CCA the fear that the drug and alcohol treatment center program violations could result in increased costs for the state.
Inmates in the prisons infirmary were frequently left unattended and without any way to call a physician or nurse if needed. The prisoners were not receiving enough medical checks of their vitals by the nursing staff. The audit also found that results of tests were left too long before being read by a physician. This increases the likelihood that serious medical problems were left untreated.
by: Kevin Kline
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