ARIZONA, USA — Arizona Department of Corrections Director David Shinn defended his department's actions in a federal court as part of a trial about the quality of healthcare provided to inmates.
The lawsuit, which was brought back in March 2012, states the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) did not provide medical, mental and dental healthcare fast enough, and in some cases, not at all, to inmates in their care.
The case dates back longer than Shinn has been director of the state's prison system. He took on the role in 2019. While the case had reached a settlement, a judge found ADCRR in contempt of court twice for not meeting benchmarks for standards of care laid out in the agreement. In total the state has been fined $2.5 million for not meeting those benchmarks.
The case has been on trial for several weeks after the judge threw out the settlement in July.
Lack of staff
Shinn said in federal court, the medical side, "needed a higher level of scrutiny." Adding, the department's partner, Centurion Health, has never had all the staff they need.
Shinn confirmed in court he sent a letter to Centurion demanding they meet staffing levels required in their contract and by a court order.
“My expectation was they get to 100% staffing," Shinn told the court during cross-examination.
However, Shinn asserted the healthcare inmates in Arizona prisons get is faster than what private citizens get.
'Extraordinary work'
Shinn stood behind Centurion's work in Arizona's prisons characterizing their work as 'extraordinary.' Specifically, stating their work during the pandemic, "literally saved lives" as COVID-19 has spread.
In regards to the pandemic, Shinn said 80 percent of Arizona's inmates had gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, claiming only 62 inmates have died from the virus.
Those bringing the lawsuit argue the state's prisons and Centurion left inmates dealing with lengthy delays for care, with no interpreters available to help inmates during their care, and gave inmates medication they felt did not work.
Shinn acknowledged the department increased the value of the contract with Centurion over the summer to $216 million, despite Centurion not meeting the basic request to fully staff their contract with the department.
Shinn told the judge, while Centurion has failed in certain locations, the department is "looking in reductions of failure,' and "moving the needle from systemic failures."
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