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Audit: Mental health needs unmet at SCI-Coal Township

News-Item, The (Shamokin, PA) - 5/20/2015

May 20--HARRISBURG -- State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said an audit of SCI-Coal Township shows shortfalls in staffing may have prevented the institution from providing mentally ill inmates with the proper psychiatric or psychological services.

"For the health and safety of SCI-Coal Township guards, staff and inmates, it is absolutely essential that those inmates with mental health issues receive the care

as prescribed by the Department of Corrections' policy," DePasquale was quoted in a press release from his office. "I urge corrections to work with the governor's office

and the General Assembly to ensure the department receives the funding necessary to ensure there are enough mental health professionals -- either on staff or contracted -- to provide required services at SCI-Coal Township and at all state correctional institutions."

The audit period covered July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2013, with additional information through the end of field work in 2014. The audit report contains three findings and one recommendation for improvement.

SCI-Coal Township Superintendent's Assistant 2 Trisha Kelley said there have been changes.

"The Department of Corrections has made significant improvements to the mental health treatment provided to offenders," she said in a statement responding to the audit. "A centralized office has been created for the administration of mental health care, which includes a psychology office at Central Office. This office creates policies, tracks data on a number of indicators such as self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts and reviews data to improve mental health services."

Kelley said the prison has developed new misconduct procedures to address those with serious mental illness by placing them into specialty housing units rather than the restricted housing unit. The specialty units are staffed with more adequately trained staff to identify the needs of the offenders, according to Kelley. And they evaluate if the need is driven by a mental health issue.

She said DOC has partnered with Vera Institute of Justice to examine the use of segregation for all offenders.

Under DOC policy, and depending upon the severity of the mental illness and housing classification, inmates are required to be seen by a licensed psychiatrist, psychiatric certified nurse practitioner or psychologist every 30 to 90 days. The policy also states that inmates should be seen by a licensed psychological services specialist or associate five to seven times per week.

Five-fold increase

Auditors found that the number of SCI-Coal Township inmates classified with serious mental health issues increased five-fold, from 25 to 128, after the correctional institution and DOC reevaluated the inmates in 2013. The reassessment followed the release of a U.S. Justice Department report critical of the treatment of inmates with mental issues at the former SCI-Cresson, in Blair County. Approximately 500 inmates at SCI Coal Township were classified with some level of mental illness during the period of the audit.

During at least part of the audit period, SCI-Coal Township did not have a psychiatrist on staff and did not contract for the services of a psychiatrist. Auditors also noted that a licensed psychologist retired in January 2014 and as of October 2014 a replacement had not been hired.

"The bottom line is SCI-Coal Township needs to have the appropriate mental health professionals available to treat inmates," DePasquale said. "I have met with Secretary (John E.) Wetzel to review this audit and he has indicated that the Department of Corrections has already made improvements based upon our audit findings and recommendations. I am encouraged by his actions and his interest in resolving issues reported in our audits."

To ensure proper mental health treatment for inmates, auditors recommend that SCI-Coal Township ensure staffing levels are adequate to meet all mental health treatment policy requirements; ensure inmates classified as mentally ill are treated by a psychiatrist, certified psychiatric nurse practitioner or psychologist on a regular schedule that complies with Department of Correction policy; and implement procedures to ensure that all inmates receive required mental health treatment and services, and to immediately identify when treatment or services are not provided so that prompt, corrective action can be taken.

Auditors also found that SCI-Coal Township properly monitored a medical services contract with Wexford Health Sources Inc., Pittsburgh, and provided physicals and sick call services according to department policy; and properly monitored a mental health services contract with MHM Correctional Services Inc., Mechanicsburg.

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