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inside correctional health

Utilization of Inmate Workers

I’ve written before how after every disgusting partnerships with community agencies. These
and filthy cell cleanup that our inmate workers programs teach the incarcerated health care-
scrubbed, I would drive to a local fast-food joint related skills that can serve inmates when they are
or pizza palace to buy those workers a much- released.
deserved meal, a treat, if you will. If you asked In my own home state of Indiana, there was
any one of them, they would tell you that the a partnership between a prison and a university,
task was worthy of the reward. But for us, they offering a peer education program that trained
provided a much-needed service. the incarcerated to become peer health educators.
We use inmate workers for various tasks Graduates of the program passed on their
all over our facilities. In our last article, we knowledge to their peers about common health
discussed how we assign them to our kitchens, conditions affecting prison populations.
offices, warehouses, commissaries, outdoor The key is to ensure that inmate workers are
space maintenance, and medical areas. We also not making treatment decisions or providing
discussed medical surveillance of the inmate patient care. Unfortunately, I’ve seen that as well.
worker, as well as verifying they have the Inmate workers should never be substitutes for
necessary tools and training to perform those health staff!
duties.
It is not very common to see hospice-type
In this article, we focus on the use of inmate programs in a short-term jail setting, but they
workers in the health services area and what they could. More likely, we see inmate workers
can and cannot do. But to set the stage, I want to participating in a buddy system for non-acutely
know if you have experienced some of the same suicidal inmates. The key here is to ensure the
incidents that I have. Inmate workers mopping inmate worker is trained and, again, they are not
the health clinic? Inmate workers wiping down serving as a substitute for staff.
medical equipment? Inmate workers emptying We invite you to look at the purpose of our
the red biohazard waste baskets? Inmate workers standard and think about how you are employing
filing medical charts?
your workforce. A robust inmate worker program
Stop! I hope not! Inmate workers should not can be vital to our facilities, especially now. But,
be anywhere near medical charts; however, I’ve before you do, ensure you are following the
witnessed it. The NCCHC Standard for Inmate proper, recognized, national standards.
Workers specifically says that workers cannot be
used for specific tasks. Filing medical charts is one JIM MARTIN, MPSA, CCHP
of them, but inmates can still perform other jobs. Vice President, Program Development
During my visits to a few of your facilities, I’ve jamesmartin@ncchc.org
seen some remarkable programs that teach the
incarcerated on how to be successful when they AMY PANAGOPOULOS, MBA, BSN, RN
return to their community. Some of these included Vice President, Accreditation
peer health-related programs that develop National Commission on Correctional Health Care
amyp@ncchc.org

58 | JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022 AMERICANJails