Department of Justice to review county jail services
–The County of San Luis Obispo has announced that the U.S. Department of Justice will be conducting an independent investigation to review the medical and mental health care of inmates in the jail.
County officials say that the investigation is a civil review that does not focus on any single event, but rather on the delivery of medical and mental health services.
The investigation will consider all relevant information, particularly the efforts the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office and the San Luis Obispo Health Agency have undertaken to ensure compliance with Federal law. If deficiencies are identified during the investigation, the Department of Justice will provide technical assistance promptly, where possible and appropriate.
Over the past year, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office took over operational control of jail health care and the county has made several significant changes to medical and mental health services at the jail. These changes include: the hiring of a Chief Medical Officer, contracting medical and mental health services, the pending opening of a mental health unit, and policy changes.
“We welcome the investigation and any assistance and guidance to further improve areas identified by the Department of Justice,” said Sheriff Ian Parkinson.
