By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter
Dallas, TX – Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: Dallas County Commissioners said they've been negotiating for two years to bring in the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston - or UTMB - to provide health care to jail inmates. The first open contract discussion was scheduled for yesterday in Commissioners Court. But thanks to last weeks' press accounts of alleged poor treatment of mentally ill inmates, a number of Dallas mental health providers showed up to express anger at the county health department.
David Kellog, Public Policy Director, Mental Health Association of Greater Dallas: Before commenting on the specifics of the proposal, I need to take a moment ... to express the profound sense of betrayal felt by members of my organization toward those responsible for the management and oversight of jail psychiatric services.
Zeeble: David Kellog is Public Policy Director of Dallas' Mental Health Association. He said the group was especially upset about the inadequate amount of time - sometimes just minutes - spent with inmates, and the fact that some patients went weeks without vitally needed medications.
Kellog: In light of this experience, it is only natural we approach the UTMB proposal with some skepticism regarding those in authority. We feel we've been shut out of this process. To the point, it was a "done deal."
Dallas County Judge Lee Jackson: That's unfortunate. I don't believe it's fair to say anyone's been shut out.
Zeeble: Dallas County Judge Lee Jackson, who presides over the Commissioner's Court, refuted Kellog. He strongly backs the proposed contract and believes commissioners will too, later this month or September.
Jackson: UTMB has 30-40 contracts statewide. The record is established they have accreditation and perform well in that environment. Compared to our record that no matter how much money we spend, it's never quite good enough.
Zeeble: For their part, UTMB representatives said they expect to add more medical personnel in the county jails, and would provide the newest, best drugs for mentally ill patients. Early yesterday morning, commissioners met behind closed doors with the county's Health and Human Services director, Betty Culbreath-Lister, who oversees inmate doctors. The talks were secret, but County Commissioner John Wiley Price - who's defended Culbreath-Lister, is unconvinced an outside contractor's necessary.
Commissioner John Wiley Price: Dallas County has always taken great care of the mentally ill. We've got to make sure all the allegations are founded. I've got real serious concerns of whether those allegations reported are founded.
Zeeble: Attorney David Finn, representing imprisoned inmate Paul Skelton, says those reports are founded. Finn's client swallowed a 133 plastic spoon handles and suffers from a bipolar disorder that's gotten worse, in part because jail doctors said Skelton was faking it. Finn says as a result, Skelton is suing his jail doctor, nurse, and Sheriff Jim Bowles because the Sheriff's department runs the jails.
Attorney David Finn: The practices in county jail, as they relate to mentally ill prisoners, amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. This is an action in federal court, alleging violations of civil rights and violations of Americans with disabilities act.
Zeeble: Finn wants acknowledgement that the system is broken, and that there's been a pattern of abuse leading to needless suffering and rights violations. He wants improvements, and says there's a possibility of this becoming a class action suit. For KERA 90.1, I'm Bill Zeeble.
To contact Bill Zeeble, please send emails to bzeeble@kera.org.