Judges Will Cooperate on Prison Reforms
Two federal judges will cooperate to ensure reforms in the state prison system's health care and mental health systems are enacted quickly and adequately, the Bakersfield Californian reports.
U.S. District Court judges Thelton Henderson and Lawrence Karlton said they will meet quarterly to examine the progress of reform efforts. Inmate attorney Michael Bien said health and mental health care overlap in at least 32 areas, including:
- Medication;
- Medical records;
- Staffing; and
- Delays in receiving advanced care.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has called for $364 million to improve inmate health care and said it likely will be the first funding request to overhaul the system (Thompson, Bakersfield Californian, 6/8). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.