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| Lincoln prisons, others on lockdown |
| By Lincoln Courier |
| Published: 07/11/2005 |
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The Illinois Department of Corrections last week ordered lockdowns at the 23 prisons where Wexford Health Sources Inc. formerly provided inmate health care services. The prisons were placed on lockdown early last Tuesday, the day the state's contracts with Wexford ended, said Corrections spokeswoman Dede Short. She described the move as "a precautionary measure." As of last Thursday afternoon, 11 prisons, including two in Lincoln, remained on lockdown, she said. At present, inmates are not allowed in the gym or yard at Lincoln, Logan, Dwight, Decatur, Robinson, Shawnee, Menard, Vienna or Big Muddy River correctional centers. A more restrictive form of lockdown remains in effect at the Illinois River and Stateville correctional centers, where there is no mass movement of inmates. Also on last Thursday, Wexford's president and CEO said he had been "stunned" when the Illinois Department of Corrections said it was canceling his company's contract to provide inmate health care at 23 prisons. "It's one of those things that is so overwhelming you just can't really quite believe it," said Kevin Halloran, who heads the Pittsburgh, Pa.,-based company. Peoria-based Health Professionals Limited reached agreement with the Department of Corrections to take over health care at the prisons formerly served by Wexford. Short said that HPL is working out contracts with physicians, dentists and psychiatrists who care for inmates. When HPL notifies the Department of Corrections that it has worked out contracts at a particular correctional facility, the lockdown there gets lifted, Short said. For instance, a lockdown at Jacksonville Correctional Center was lifted last Thursday. The state last week terminated the contract with Wexford just before more than 350 of the company's union-represented employees, including nurses and pharmacy technicians, were to go on strike. The workers, represented by Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, had authorized a work stoppage after making little headway in contract talks with Wexford. Talks broke off July 1. A key point of contention was employee wages, which AFSCME said were substandard. |
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