Health & Wellness

Prison Health Care & Wellness

Many inmates arrive in prison with issues of addiction, mental health problems, and physical complaints ranging from dental pain to diagnosed (and undiagnosed) diseases. Prison health care is available, but the system can entail long waits and substandard levels of care.

The best advice for anyone facing a prison term is to get any required dentistry and other medical concerns taken care of prior to admission to the prison system. It is almost inevitable you will need to access medical and dental care in prison, and possibly psychological services during your sentence. Here is where you can gain an understanding of what is available to you while you are incarcerated.

Contact us for more information on health and wellness in prison.

Prisoner Health Issues

America’s prison population is, like the general public, aging rapidly.

The wide net cast by the incarceration explosion of the 1980s and 1990s means that the percentage of prisoners needing increased health care has also risen dramatically. Prisoner health is becoming another hot-button issue as public awareness builds about overcrowding, funding shortfalls, privatization, and other issues affecting incarcerated Americans.

This is particularly true in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which has always had an older population than the national average due to the profile of the offenders it prosecutes.

Here are some facts about prisoners and their health:

  • Every inmate entering the Federal Bureau of Prisons is given a general health screening, including basic blood tests and a consultation (a psychology screening and a dental exam are also provided).
  • If the inmate is found to be in a generally healthy state, then further medical care is provided only upon request, with the exception of annual tuberculosis testing, which is mandatory. An inmate may randomly be called in for random HIV and other disease testing programs.
  • Some inmates enter the Federal Bureau of Prisons with chronic health conditions or develop them during incarceration. These inmates are assigned a “care level” commensurate with the care required. They will be seen regularly and monitored accordingly.
  • Inmates diagnosed with high blood pressure may be given medication and seen for monitoring every three to six months for blood tests and other testing.
  • Prisoners with Type 1 Diabetes may be given insulin injections daily and seen on a more frequent basis. Other serious conditions are likewise treated.
  • Inmates with less urgent but chronic needs, such as those suffering from skin conditions or back pain, may be seen only twice a year.
  • The Federal Bureau of Prisons utilizes a “managed care” model of treatment that sees most inmates visiting a Mid-Level Practitioner (MLP) for basic diagnostic care, provision of common treatments, and referrals for more specialized care
  • A prisoner may be referred to a Medical Doctor (MD) for further services. Very often, though, even chronic care inmates rarely see an actual doctor, and communications with such a provider go through the MLP.
  • Inmates who are injured, ill, or otherwise need medical attention can access health care via filling out a sick call/triage form (in the case of a true medical emergency, inmates can ask any staff member to contact medical staff for immediate assistance).

How to Prepare for Prison

First Day in Federal Prison

Prison Life

Communicating with the Outside World

Health and Wellness

Special Prison Survival Tactics

For more information about prison life and how to prepare for prison, please email [email protected] or call 843-620-1100. Our team of experienced prison consultants stands ready to assist you in your time of need.

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