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Families, former inmates tell Senate committee Arkansas prisons lack timely medical and mental-health care; DOC officials cite staffing and contract changes
Summary
Dozens of family members, advocacy groups and formerly incarcerated witnesses told the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee that Arkansas prisons often fail to provide timely medical and mental-health care, that disciplinary and visitation practices can be punitive, and that facility maintenance and understaffing create safety risks. Department of Corrections officials acknowledged staffing and resource shortfalls and said a new medical contract will fold in mental-health services to improve access.
Dozens of family members, formerly incarcerated people and advocates told the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee that Arkansas’s prisons are falling short on medical care, mental-health services, staffing and basic facility maintenance.
"Evidence overwhelmingly indicates that conditions within our prisons are falling short in providing adequate medical and mental health care," said Ladina Biddle, who identified herself as director of the Arkansas Department of Corrections Family Support nonprofit, in opening public testimony describing medication errors, delayed diagnoses and restrictions on mobility devices for some inmates. Families said staff misconduct went unaddressed, that mail or visits were sometimes restricted, and that some inmates were placed into restrictive housing after disciplinary actions that their relatives described as…
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