Mary Drago
Presented on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 – 5:00 PM MST
Watch this webinar: http://bit.ly/2Ll1fpa
Download: InmatesReferences.docx, Inmates and Immigrants ABN a.pdf
The federal government is responsible for providing health care to three citizen populations: veterans through the Veteran’s Administration (VA) system; American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) through the Indian Health Services (IHS); and federal inmates through the Department of Justice/Bureau of Prisons (BOP) system. In recent years, the federal government has optioned to provide funding rather than directly providing care. Some AI/AN tribes through contracting or compacting arrangements with the IHS gained control of their health services. Veterans optioned for private care facilities when wait times at the VA were extraordinary. The BOP has over 180,000 inmates in its charge of whom approximately 20% of BOP inmates are non-citizens. Most federal inmates are housed in BOP facilities, although 12% are now housed in privately contracted facilities, and an additional 7% in “other types of facilities.” The previous administration outlined plans to discontinue contracts with private prison companies, but the current administration reversed that decision. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security did not join BOP in earlier attempts to end contracts with private prisons. As many as 70% of the immigrants awaiting deportation are housed in private prisons. This presentation examines health care access and outcomes for federal prisoners, comparing health care in contract prisons, federally operated prisons, and the general US population. This presentation invites discussion on the role and responsibility of the federal government to provide health care to prisoners regardless of citizenship status.