Corrections_Today_November_December_2022_Vol.84_No.6

Policies and Resolutions

Editor’s Note: The following resolutions and public correctional policies printed below were reviewed by the Res olutions and Policies Committee, amended and then approved for adoption by the ACA Board of Governors and Delegate Assembly at the 2022 152 nd ACA Congress of Correction in New Orleans, Louisiana. PUBLIC CORRECTIONAL POLICY ON CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE 1987-2 Introduction: Incarcerated persons have a legal right to adequate health care in accordance with gener ally recognized professional standards utilizing a comprehensive holistic approach that is sensitive to the cultural, age and gender responsive needs of a growing and diverse population. To ensure ac countability and professional responsibility, these services should follow the policy guidelines below, as well as the health care performance-based standards and expected practices of the American Correctional Association. Policy Statement: Health care programs for incarcerated persons include comprehensive medical, dental and behav ioral health services. Such programs should: A. Be delivered by qualified and appropriate ly credentialed health care professionals; B. Include a comprehensive health promotion

E. Create community linkages, which will facilitate the continuation of the treat ment plans by community health care agencies for persons being released from incarceration; F. Establish appropriate classification, programs and housing assignments for ju venile, elderly, female and other identified classes of special needs persons; G. Establish palliative care services for termi nally ill incarcerated persons supported by a compassionate release program for those who qualify; H. Provide all persons with language-ap propriate verbal and written information concerning access to health care services during intake screening, followed by more formal instruction during the admission and orientation program; I. Provide continuous, comprehensive ser vices commencing at admission, including effective and timely screening, assessment and treatment, and appropriate referral to alternate health care resources where warranted; J. Establish a system to provide access to emergency treatment 24 hours per day; K. Establish a formal process to screen for, identify, treat and manage incarcerated persons with infectious diseases; L. Provide appropriate health care training programs that are cognizant of cultural, age and gender issues for all correctional and health care staff, and allow for con tinuing professional and medical education programs; M. Provide an integrated health record system to document diagnosis and treatment

152 ND CONGRESS OF CORRECTION and disease prevention program designed to meet the specific health maintenance needs of the specific residential popula tion, which includes health, nutrition, and safety education programs; C. Employ a stratified system of service deliv ery to maximize the efficient use of medical and behavioral health care resources; D. Include correctional officers who work in

health care units as active participants in the multidisciplinary treatment team;

44 — November/December 2022 Corrections Today