Medical Services Division
The Department’s medical and mental health staff includes doctors, nurses, physicians and nursing assistants, psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers and other clinical staff who provide comprehensive medical and mental health care at the Suffolk County Jail and House of Correction.
A medical and mental health intake is completed on all individuals brought into the custody of the Department. Care includes, but is not limited to, physical health, chronic care, dental and eye care, substance use treatment, dialysis, physical therapy, phlebotomy and lab services, as well as mental health treatment and groups. Persons in custody whose medical and/or mental health needs exceed the capabilities of the Department’s teams are transported to off-site medical facilities.
A large number of incarcerated individuals self–report a history of substance use and will benefit from some type of treatment. Medication for Opiate Use Disorder (MOUD) is available to those in custody diagnosed with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD). In addition to traditional recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, the Department partners with outside vendors to provide comprehensive recovery groups, skill building, and discharge-planning. Moreover, the Department has many specialty programs, such as the OASIS Unit, that provides intensive treatment throughout their incarceration.
The percentage of chronic illnesses like asthma, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, HIV, diabetes, seizures and hypertension in this population is consistently high. In partnership with the Department of Public Health and our medical services provider, SCSD makes a number of vaccines available to those incarcerated. The Department provides HIV/STI education during orientation for all incoming detainees and inmates, as well as health education and risk reduction programs throughout incarceration. Confidential HIV and STI testing, and counseling are offered along with comprehensive care.
To provide better on–site care, the Department uses an electronic medical records system and is equipped with x–ray, EKG and dialysis machines. This equipment helps to eliminate the considerable expense of transportation to and supervision within hospital facilities. The addition of a number of other on–site services – such as sutures, phlebotomy, wound care, medications administered intravenously, digital x-ray images and web–based pharmacy ordering ensures timely delivery of much needed medications and treatments enhancing the quality of on-site medical care.
The Department also provides health and wellness programs to those housed in its facilities. A nutritionist works for the food services vendor in the creation of the menu at both facilities for the thousands of meals provided annually to ensure the required daily standards for nutrition are met.
Mental Health Care
Many individuals housed by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department are living with some form of mental illness. Approximately 30% are diagnosed with a serious mental illness, which can cause significant impairment to daily living if untreated. To meet the considerable need presented by this growing population, the Department has significantly increased access to mental health services. Services are offered on site 6 days per week from 8am to 9pm, and there is an on–call mental health professional available 24 hours a day. Cameras have also been installed in the medical housing units to help ensure that patients with acute mental health needs can be monitored at all times to ensure their safety.
Mental Health services are delivered by specialized forensic master’s level clinicians. Along with routine counseling and psychiatric services, the Department has increased its focus on group counseling and making sure mental health professionals coordinate service provision with social services staff. Additionally, the medical and mental health teams have partnerships with several local colleges, universities and hospitals to offer competitive fellowships and internship opportunities to nursing students, graduate level clinical students and medical residents to provide educational opportunities in correctional medicine as well as increased care to the population.
Both medical and mental health staff coordinate with local community providers, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health, and the Boston Public Health Commission to ensure continuity of care for the men and women once they are released. Partnerships with the many community health centers and medical institutions in and around Boston allow for coordinated and comprehensive discharge planning. These partnerships are vital in assisting with enrollment or re-enrollment in MassHealth through the “virtual gateway” system. This system allows staff to apply online for MassHealth membership on behalf of the incarcerated individuals preparing to release ensuring that they continue to receive necessary medical, mental health and substance use treatment post–release.
