Florida:Expert: Mental care better at jail

Expert: Mental care better at jail

Prison Health recommended to continue service

By DEBORAH CIRCELLI
Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH -- The head of the Volusia County jail told advocates Tuesday she is satisfied with the mental-health care inmates are receiving and is recommending Prison Health Services continue its contract for 18 months.

Marilyn Chandler Ford, Volusia County corrections director, said she will bring her recommendation to the Volusia County Council on Sept. 4 to extend Prison Health Services contract, which ends Sept. 30.

Prison Health, which has had the medical contract for the jail since 2005, has faced criticism by advocates and in lawsuits about inmates not receiving proper medication. Some, including the a local advocacy group, have called for a local provider to take over the mental-health portion of the contract. County officials project costs for the entire Prison Health Services contract for this fiscal year ending in September to be $7.7 million.

Ford told The Flagler/Volusia Behavioral Health Consortium that overall she is happy with the level of care "especially in recent months" under the new psychiatrist Dr. Liana Mendoza. Mendoza replaced Dr. David Hager in June. He had faced criticism in some cases for not continuing people on medications they took prior to jail.

Mendoza is continuing people on prescribed medications, officials said.
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