(Ed. note: We read the incredibly long Monitor’s Second Report to the Court, filed 1-7-25. Public access is CV-12-00601-PHX-ROS)
The ACLU did a masterful job in showing Judge Roslyn Silver why she should get rid of Naphcare and put the DOC and Arizona in receivership. They need to do this before any more women die needlessly. This was grim reading folks! Don’t read at night or you’ll have trouble sleeping. It was the mortality (death) reviews that were the worst.
In 2023 Gov. Hobbs and Director Thornell told the ACLU they were dedicated to all the reforms listed in the class action suit. Two years later, patients are dying of preventable suicides and medical conditions. The report implemented a pilot program (which we wrote about) on San Carlos unit…..it lasted 8 whole days.
Naphcare said “overcrowding and understaffing” was the problem. THEY are the problem. Here are some highlights:
- NP’s RN’s and PA’s are still caring for complex medical patients who should be cared for by physicians.
- Mental health has over (statewide)100 vacant positions, and the patient never sees the same provider twice.
- The Naphcare computer is cumbersome and inadequate in providing patient data to the clinician with information when they need it.
- Nurses practice as physicians.
- Thousands of off-site specialist appointments are delayed.
- Virtual TV exams are rampant when hands-on care is necessary.
- Naphcare has a 97% FAILURE rate for the timely completion of specialist referrals. These are life-saving appointments to Cardiology, Neurological, and Chemotherapy doctors.
- One of the worst things the DOC does is place nurses at the forefront of evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients. This system is not in general use in the community because of its dangers, but it’s even more dangerous in a prison setting.
- Lying about emergency equipment: Naphcare said it had the equipment, but when ACLU checked it wasn’t there.
- Suicide: It demonstrated a substantial avoidable risk of death by suicide within the ADCRR.
- The DOC lacks Continuity of Care. They are understaffed and have unmanageable caseloads.
- ADCRR fails to have a minimally safe mental health care system.
- ACLU also found profound, deep-rooted, leadership problems.
We urge you to read the whole report to fully understand what danger your loved ones are in at Perryville. You can find it here: https://prisonlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/25.01.07-Jensen-Monitors-Second-Interim-Report-to-Court.pdf