Bernard P. Harrison Award of Merit
NCCHC’s highest honor, this award is presented to an individual
or group that has demonstrated excellence and service that has
advanced the correctional health care field, either through an
individual project or a history of service.
Steven R.
Shelton, MD, CCHP-A
For distinguished service to the field of
correctional health care
Now in his 27th
year at the Oregon Department of Corrections,
Dr. Steven Shelton is perhaps the
longest tenured corrections medical director in the nation,
having held that position for the past 18 years. His longevity
is no fluke. Dr. Shelton is renowned for his exceptional
performance as a leader, innovator and advocate for
correctional health care,
always striving to improve health care delivery and patient
outcomes. Fortunately for the field at large, his efforts
benefit not only his own system but also, through education,
information sharing and mentorship, correctional systems across
the country.
Dr.
Shelton’s correctional career began in 1984 when he joined ODOC
as staff physician. Formerly a nurse, he had attained an MD
degree a few years earlier and was working in community
settings, including an urgent care clinic that he operated. In
the early days with ODOC he would see inmates in the morning
hours when his private practice was closed. As the prison system
and health care needs expanded, so did his involvement. Over
time he became staff physician at five prisons and chief medical
officer at two prisons, and in 1993 he became
the system’s medical director.
Among his many achievements, Dr. Shelton
developed and implemented the concept known as therapeutic
levels of care, which uses defined standards combined with case
discussion to determine the medical necessity of various
treatments. Because this approach was adopted by the state’s
medical assistance program, it ensures that inmates receive a
consistent and community standard of coverage. This approach is
now used by many other organizations. In addition, Dr. Shelton
developed correctional nursing protocols for early first-line
intervention that have been adapted for use in many other
correctional systems. He also transformed processes—and
attitudes—related to patient sick call and self-care.
The man behind these innovations possesses a rich
combination of traits that has earned him the devotion of his
staff and respect of his peers. One hallmark of his leadership
is his success in building and retaining a staff of highly
capable clinicians. He is committed to professional development
and mentorship, and oversees a correctional continuing education
program that draws clinicians from county jails and neighboring
states. He also nurtures strong relationships with specialty
providers. “He is an exemplary role model of professional
development and collegiality. No staff members leave and they
just keep getting better in their practices,” says one of his
colleagues. He also models creativity, empathy and, in every
sense of the word, caring. Despite his high-level role
overseeing health services for 14,000 inmates, Dr. Shelton
continues to practice direct patient care.
With all 13 ODOC facilities accredited by NCCHC, Dr.
Shelton is closely allied with NCCHC’s mission. He also strives
to help the field. He lends his expertise through work as a
physician surveyor for NCCHC’s accreditation program, and his
educational presentations are too numerous to count. He fosters
professionalism by serving on the board of trustees of the
Certified Correctional Health Professional program. He himself
has been a CCHP since 1993, earning Advanced status four years
later. He also is a charter member of the Society of
Correctional Physicians and has served as its president.
Overall, Dr. Shelton has organized an
outstanding system of health care delivery and professional
staff development that has improved health care access,
utilization and patient satisfaction. He gives generously to the
correctional health community, sharing his knowledge at all
turns. He excels at building alliances for the betterment of
all.
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B. Jaye Anno Award of Excellence in
Communication
This award pays tribute to innovative, well-executed
communications that have had a positive impact on the field of
correctional health care, or to individuals for bodies of work.
Fred
Cohen, LLM
For a body of published works that have advanced the field of
correctional health care
Correctional professionals who need to stay
abreast of important court rulings—but don’t have time to pore
over the arcane details of myriad lawsuits—know exactly where to
turn: the Correctional Law Reporter. Launched 22 years
ago by Fred Cohen, LLM, and his longtime collaborator William
Collins, JD, this bimonthly newsletter,
first produced at a kitchen table, soon grew into the most
respected periodical of its kind. It also was the
catalyst for the formation a year later of the Civic Research
Institute, which continues today as an independent publisher of
reference and practice materials for professionals in the social
sciences and law.
A national authority on correctional health law, Mr.
Cohen possesses special expertise in mental health law and is
the author of the two-volume reference work The Mentally
Disordered Inmate and the Law, now in its second edition, as
well as executive editor of the Correctional Mental Health
Report. His latest work, published this year, is
Practical Guide to Correctional Mental Health and the Law, a
one-volume “library” on the key issues involved in managing and
treating incarcerated persons with mental illness. He
also has written numerous case books, treatises and articles on
law and deviance.
Mr. Cohen’s vast knowledge of these topics developed
over a long career that encompasses many aspects of corrections
and the law. A graduate of Yale Law School, he has been a full
professor at a number of leading law schools and is a founder of
the Graduate School of Criminal Justice, State University of New
York at Albany, where he developed the law component of its
doctoral program. He has been the court-appointed monitor in
several lawsuits pertaining to correctional mental health,
medical and dental care in Ohio, and has conducted
investigations or served as a consultant in several other
states, often on mental health topics. He also was a reporter to
the American Bar Association’s Juvenile Justice Standards
Project, served on the ABA task force revising correctional
standards and gave expert testimony before the ABA’s Justice
Kennedy Committee and the Commission on Safety and Abuse in
America’s Prisons.
Characteristically, Mr. Cohen’s response upon
notification of the award was humble and humorous: “I am
surprised and honored to receive the Anno Award. Writing is an
isolated activity and to learn in this fashion that someone is
reading and applauding is wonderful.”
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Facility of the Year
This prestigious award is presented to one facility selected
from among the nearly 500 prisons, jails, and juvenile
detention and confinement facilities accredited by NCCHC.
Lehigh
County Prison
Allentown, Pennsylvania
This year marks 25 years
since Lehigh County Prison attained initial NCCHC accreditation,
but this silver anniversary is not why
the
facility is being honored as Facility
of the Year. Rather, it’s in recognition of current excellence
in health services delivery, continuity of care and staff
professionalism.
Despite its name,
Lehigh
County Prison functions as a
maximum-security jail and is surveyed under NCCHC’s jail
standards. Its latest accreditation survey found 100% compliance
with applicable standards. That level of achievement is common
for the facility, which has an average daily population of about
1,100 and annual admissions of about 5,600.
Since 2003, the facility has used a contract management
company to provide integrated medical, dental and mental health
services. Health staff are on site around the clock. The team
has frequent meetings to discuss administrative, nursing and
quality improvement issues, and someone from facility
administration is always present and participates in problem
solving decisions.
With such a well-run operation, it is hard to single
out specifics to highlight. Among the areas that receive high
marks are chronic disease management, nursing care, diagnostic
services, mental health, dental care, pharmacy services,
infection control, emergency management and discharge planning.
Receiving screening is always timely, and detainees are rapidly
assessed for detoxification, suicidal ideation and medication
needs. Likewise, initial health assessments are consistently
timely. Each inmate also receives an annual examination. One way
to assess performance is through customer satisfaction, and here
Lehigh
County Prison shines: The facility
receives health care grievances from less than 2% of the
population.
Such excellence doesn’t arise overnight. In this case,
25 years of continuous compliance with the standards has
cultivated a workplace where staff pride and dedication to
quality are the norm. This culture also depends on the example
set by the warden and assistant warden, both of whom have served
at the facility for more than 20 years. Under their strong,
steady leadership, the facility has established a stable health
services department with a solid history of performance.
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Program of the Year
This award recognizes programs of excellence
among the thousands provided by NCCHC-accredited prisons, jails,
and juvenile detention and confinement facilities.
Wyoming
Honor Conservation Camp
Newcastle, Wyoming
“The Group” Weight Reduction Program
That sloped
walk up to the health services building turned out to be a good
thing for a couple dozen inmates at the Wyoming Honor
Conservation Camp. After complaints by certain individuals about
shortness of breath and sore legs, the warden concluded that
their excess weight and overall poor health were the culprits.
He asked the health services team to come up with a plan. Thus
was born Self-HeLP (Healthy Lifestyles Program), an effort known
as “The Group.”
Part of the Wyoming Department of Corrections, WHCC
provides vocational, educational and
other programming to an average daily population of about 300
men. Although exercise activities have long been offered, The
Group was conceived in July 2010. It
has evolved since the early days of
informal meetings with a small group of inmates referred by
health staff. As it became clear that many of the men did not
understand the concept of self-care for chronic conditions or
how lifestyle choices affect health, the education component
became formalized. An important milestone occurred in September
2010, when health staff began to record participant weight,
blood pressure and other health measures at each weekly meeting.
Another major step was in December, when the
recreational activities specialist added structured exercise to
the program. To ensure privacy, because some participants would
have been reluctant to exercise with other inmates present, the
warden approved use of the gym during count time. In addition,
the food service department was enlisted to provide healthy
choices for meals and snacks. These foods are available to all
inmates.
Although the total number of participants is small,
their results are impressive. A July 2011 report noted a total
of 196 pounds lost since recording began. Looking at individual
outcomes, some of these men have made astonishing improvements.
One lost more than 40 pounds in three months. Another reduced
his LDL cholesterol from a whopping 547 to 167. A diabetes
patient is no longer dependent on insulin. Many participants
reduced their blood pressure. A bonus: These inmates also
benefit from greater self-confidence, reduced anxiety and better
social skills due to the support they give each other.
Calling the program a “best practice for Wyoming corrections,”
the DOC director is encouraging its implementation in other
facilities.
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