Judge mulls third contempt case against Arizona for failing to improve prison health care

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge presiding over a nearly 12-year-old lawsuit challenging the quality of health care in Arizona’s prisons is considering whether to launch a third contempt-of-court proceeding against the state for failing to improve prisoner care.

Arizona’s system for providing medical and mental health care for the nearly 25,000 people incarcerated in its state-run prisons remains “fundamentally lacking,” U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver said, and prisoners are at risk.

Experts who monitor prison health care operations on behalf of Silver said at a court hearing Friday that Naphcare, the private company hired by the state to provide those services, doesn’t have enough workers and needs to increase salaries for new and existing employees.

Silver had previously said she expected to launch the third contempt proceeding against the state on Friday for violations of a court order requiring numerous improvements. But she ultimately held off on a decision and wants input from lawyers on both sides first.

“I still believe there are violations,” Silver said.

Previous contempt fines totaling $2.5 million have failed to motivate authorities to improve care, the judge has concluded in the past. Attorneys for prisoners are asking her to override or rescind a 2009 law requiring private companies to provide health care in state-run prisons.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Arizona legislation to better regulate rehab programs targeted by Medicaid scams is moving forward