STOCKTON (July 21, 2014) – The California Health Care Facility (CHCF) will reopen to medical admissions today.
Clark Kelso, the federal receiver appointed by the court to manage prison medical care, temporarily halted admissions of inmate-patients in early 2014 amid reports of problems with support and clinical systems.
“I am pleased with the progress staff members have made at CHCF,” said Kelso. “All supplies are now readily available and we’ve increased staffing and training. CHCF will resume medical admissions and we will continue to monitor and improve practices at the facility to ensure our efforts are sustainable.”
“The resumption of medical intake at CHCF is a testament to the hard work being done to ensure the facility does what it is designed to do,” said Diana Toche, Undersecretary of Health Care Services for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). “We will continue to support the Receiver’s mission to provide inmate-patients timely and efficient medical care.”
CHCF is a medical facility designed to care for the state’s sickest inmates. As is common with the activation of any new facility of this size and complexity, CHCF experienced a variety of issues after its opening in July 2013. Since the halt in medical admissions, California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), under the direction of Kelso, and CDCR have worked to fix the problems. The Receiver changed medical care leadership and both CCHCS and CDCR hired additional medical, custody and support staff; increased training; improved warehouse and supply chain operations; and implemented new medical supply procedures.
Additionally, the Legislature approved additional resources for CDCR; and CCHCS will work with the Administration and the Legislature to address clinical needs in the coming months.
CHCF is currently 50.3 percent occupied and houses 1,483 inmate-patients and inmate workers. The facility has the capacity to provide housing and treatment to 2,951 inmates. The complex is located on 200 acres in South Stockton and employs approximately 2,500 doctors, nurses, technicians, clinicians, mental health, and custody and support staff from CDCR, CCHCF and the California Department of State Hospitals.