Report 2013-120 Recommendations and Responses in 2015-041

Report 2013-120: Sterilization of Female Inmates: Some Inmates Were Sterilized Unlawfully, and Safeguards Designed to Limit Occurrences of the Procedure Failed

Department Number of Years Reported As Not Fully Implemented Total Recommendations to Department Not Implemented After One Year Not Implemented as of 2014-041 Response Not Implemented as of Most Recent Response
California Correctional Health Care Services 1 11 2 N/A 2

Recommendation To: Correctional Health Care Services, California

To ensure that inmates receive only medical services that are authorized through its utilization management process, the Receiver's Office should ensure that the computer system it procures includes functionality to electronically link medical scheduling with authorization through the utilization management process to prevent all unauthorized procedures, regardless of whether they may result in sterilization, from being scheduled.

Response

California Correctional Health Care Services procured an electronic prior authorization system, which is on schedule to be fully implemented and operational by December 2015. This system will require that all procedures that may directly or indirectly result in sterilization be authorized by the Utilization Management executives.


Recommendation To: Correctional Health Care Services, California

To ensure that it can better monitor how its medical staff and contractors adhere to the informed consent requirements of Title 22, sections 70707.1 through 70707.7, the Receiver's Office should develop a plan by August 2014 to implement a process by December 2014 that would include working with Corrections to establish a process whereby inmates can have witnesses of their choice when consenting to sterilization, as required by Title 22, or working to revise such requirements so that there is an appropriate balance between the need for secure custody and the inmate's ability to have a witness of her choice.

Response

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services have concluded that compliance within a correctional setting is not feasible.


Current Status of Recommendations

All Recommendations in 2015-041