HR0057enr 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0057 Enrolled LRB098 07984 GRL 38074 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION 57

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Corrections (Department) has approximately 47,000 inmates at its 27 correctional centers; and

WHEREAS, In 2011, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services awarded a 10-year, $1.36 billion contract to Wexford Health Sources, Inc. (Vendor) to "provide comprehensive medical and mental health services to offenders [in the custody of the Department]... in order to maintain their health status, establish innovative and cost effective medical and administrative programs, improve the quality of care, provide acceptable, cost effective levels of staffing, [and] positively impact purchasing of pharmaceutical and/or medical supplies"; and

WHEREAS, Pursuant to the solicitation for the contract awarded to the Vendor, the Vendor is required to provide services at targeted performance levels (including compliance with staffing schedules, administrative directives, and treatment protocols) with any failure to meet the target levels of performance subjecting the Vendor to payment adjustments; and

WHEREAS, Also pursuant to the solicitation, the Department is required to "conduct audits to confirm the validity of the performance guarantee results reported and enforce penalties as appropriate"; and

WHEREAS, At the time the solicitation was issued, the Department identified approximately 250 pending inmate healthcare lawsuits in which the State, its employees, or agents were named parties; and

WHEREAS, The National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) has been accrediting correctional facilities since 1983 with their mission of improving the quality of healthcare that is delivered to patients in correctional facilities, according to national accepted, peer-reviewed, and evidence based standards; and

WHEREAS, The accreditation is an external review that assesses the sites compliance with 2008 Standards for Health Services; and

WHEREAS, The basis of all standards is to ensure inmates have access to the medical care needed to meet their health needs; this is the principle on which all NCCHC standards are based and is the basic principle established by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1976 landmark case Estelle v. Gamble; and

WHEREAS, This process could determine the current level of the Department's medical practices, as the auditing process will be conducted by a national, independent organization that will audit the Department's practices against national correctional medicine best practices; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Department of Corrections is directed to select a sample of facilities to be surveyed, audited, and accredited by the NCCHC over the next 3 years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the accreditation process is to include:

(1) an onsite visit;

(2) interviews with staff and inmates; and

(3) an extensive review of policies, practices, and documentation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the areas examined in the standards are to include:

(1) governance and administration;

(2) safety;

(3) personnel and training;

(4) health care services and support;

(5) inmate care and treatment;

(6) health promotion;

(7) special needs and services;

(8) health records; and

(9) medical-legal issues; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the facilities surveyed are to include Robinson, Southwestern, Graham, Pinckneyville, Illinois River, Logan, Dixon, and Stateville Correctional Centers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Department commence this accreditation as soon as possible and report any findings, recommendations, and results upon completion to the Illinois General Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That any changes to policy or practices driven by either the survey or audit process at any of the above-listed facilities be implemented throughout Department facilities statewide.