AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S PROGRAM TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE IN JAILS - FINAL EVALUATION REPORT, YEAR THREE

• NCJ Number: 64729
• Author(s): B J ANNO; A H LANG
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 139 pages
• Grant Number(s): 78-ED-AX-0023
• Sponsoring Agency: American Medical Assoc; US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S THIRD-YEAR PROGRAM WAS AIMED AT EXTENDING ACCREDIATION OF JAIL MEDICAL SYSTEMS AND DEVELOPING STANDARDS FOR SPECIAL CLASSES OF INMATES. THIS EVALUATION REPORTS THE SUCCESS OF AMA'S EFFORT.

Abstract

FIFTY NEW JAIL MEDICAL SYSTEMS WERE TO BE ACCREDITED IN 6 INITIATED PILOT STATES, AND THE PROGRAM WAS TO BE EXPANDED TO 10 NEW STATES. THE GOALS INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL STANDARDS IN JUVENILE FACILITIES, MENTAL HEALTH STANDARDS FOR JAILS AND ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND STANDARDS FOR THE CARE AND TREATMENT OF CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT INMATES IN JAILS AND PRISONS. THE EVALUATION STUDY CONSISTED OF BOTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND PROCESS EVALUATION COMPONENTS. IMPACT STUDIES REPORTED IN THIS PAPER ARE: (1) A PRE-POST STUDY OF THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS IN ALL NEW THIRD-YEAR SITES; (2) AN ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK FROM MEDICAL AND CORRECTIONAL STAFF ABOUT THE SUFFICIENCY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM MEDICAL SOCIETY STAFF; (3) AN EXAMINATION OF THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF ACCREDITATION ON IMPROVED HEALTH CARE AND DETERMINATION OF REACCREDITATION STATUS. PROCESS EVALUATION CONSISTED OF REVIEWING REPORTS AND RECORDS; ON SITE VISITS WERE MADE TO OBSERVE MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES AND INTERVIEW KEY STAFF. THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENT USED TO MEASURE CHANGE FOR THE PRE-POST STUDY WAS A SELF-SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED TWICE AT EACH JAIL. A SUMMARY OF PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENT CITES A TOTAL OF 94 JAILS PARTICIPATING, OF WHICH 34 WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ACCREDITED. ACCREDITATION HAD A LASTING EFFECT IN OVER 80 PERCENT OF THE JAILS WHICH HAD BEEN ACCREDITED IN PREVIOUS YEARS. THE REQUIRED NEW SETS OF STANDARES FOR JUVENILE FACILITIES AND CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT INMATES WERE WRITTEN. IMPACT EVALUATION REVEALS THAT THE AMA PROGRAM INCREASED AVAILABILITY AND ADEQUACY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN JAILS, THE ABILITY OF PARTICIPATING JAILS TO TREAT INMATES' MEDICAL PROBLEMS, AND THE ATTITUDES OF BOTH INMATES AND BOOKING OFFICERS TOWARD JAIL HEALTH CARE EFFECTIVENESS. APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)