The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health reported 14 critical dietary and sanitation violations across six state prison facilities in 2024, an increase of two from 2023, and identified repeated critical violations at three facilities, an agency representative told the Board of State Prison Commissioners on Dec. 19.

Vincent Valiente, representing the division’s chief medical officer, summarized inspections that included medical, dietary and sanitation reviews. He said Northern Nevada Correctional Center had five citations touching life‑safety, infection control and sterilizer maintenance; Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center had one citation for infection control. The Ely State Prison, High Desert State Prison, Southern Desert Correctional Center, Lovelock Correctional Center and Northern Nevada Correctional Center all showed at least one dietary or sanitation critical violation.

NDOC Director James Zarenda told the board the governor had approved ARPA funds to prioritize kitchen repairs after a vendor, Cooks, evaluated each facility’s needs. Zarenda said faulty or aging dishwashing equipment was a frequent cited cause and that equipment replacement or repair had begun at Southern Desert and would continue through other facilities as parts and contractors become available. He said funding is in place and the work will proceed as repairs and parts arrive.

Board members pressed NDOC for timelines and details. Attorney General Ford asked whether a total timeline existed; Zarenda said repairs progress as parts and labor come in and that he did not have a complete schedule to present. Ford also asked about expired or outdated medications identified in medical/dental inspections; NDOC medical leadership said the primary issue was disposal logistics rather than medications being improperly dispensed and that pharmacy nurses/DONs and vendor recycling/disposal contracts are being used to remove and discard out‑of‑rotation medications, including narcotic disposal protocols.

On technology and staffing, Zarenda said ViaPath will take over telephone services on Jan. 6 and begin infrastructure work to enable inmate tablets; ViaPath estimated tablets could be implemented by April 1, contingent on resolving IT and connectivity issues (fiber/microwave). Zarenda and Dr. Williams described ongoing recruitment successes through contractor AllStar, citing reduced southern Nevada vacancy levels and improvements in northern facilities with upcoming academy classes.

NDOC’s medical director, Dr. Williams, outlined additional steps: placing full‑time providers in Ely and Lovelock, partnering with UMC Healthcare for specialty telemedicine, expanding opioid‑use disorder medication programs with MindCare, piloting a gate medication program allowing community pharmacies to fill prescriptions for released patients, and pursuing an electronic health record (EHR) system and controlled-substance cabinets (BD Pyxis or equivalent) to reduce medication diversion. Dr. Williams said EHR progress depends on funding from Health and Human Services and that NDOC had narrowed proposals to two prospective vendors.

Board members asked that the director bring status updates on kitchen repairs, medication disposal procedures, EHR procurement and tablet implementation to a future BOPC meeting for oversight.

No immediate board action was taken on the inspection report itself; the board approved unrelated meeting minutes and later adopted administrative regulations on weapons and armory controls.