Volume 30, Supplement - Infectious Diseases and Carceral Health
SUPPLEMENT ISSUE
COVID-19
Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Response in Correctional and Detention Facilities
Caroline Waddell
, Ashley Meehan, Megan Schoonveld, Zoe Kaplan, Michael Bien, Claire Bailey, Emily Mosites, and Liesl M. Hagan
, Ashley Meehan, Megan Schoonveld, Zoe Kaplan, Michael Bien, Claire Bailey, Emily Mosites, and Liesl M. Hagan
Table 2
Illustrative quotes on select themes from COVID-19 lessons learned interviews with criminal justice organizations and state health departments, United States, July–August 2022*
| Theme | Criminal justice participants | State health department participants |
|---|---|---|
| Operational innovations | ||
| Operational innovations that facilities implemented in response to the pandemic, with value beyond COVID-19 |
“[COVID] Legitimized use of telehealth—before, payers didn't want to pay for it” |
“Created library of addresses associated with correctional/detention facilities so we can match cases with addresses going forward… can reach out to facilities if cases pop up that haven’t been reported, to fill in gaps in reporting” |
| Leadership | ||
| Role of leadership at multiple levels during pandemic response in correctional and detention facilities |
“Clinical leadership is critical in these situations, and not often fostered in correctional settings.” |
“Making sure there was someone in leadership meetings to advocate for resources for congregate settings—to make sure they didn’t get forgotten.” |
| Mental health | ||
| Importance of mental health in public health emergency response; unintended consequences of COVID-19 prevention on the mental health of staff and people who were incarcerated |
“Recognizing and appreciating staff - for wellness and burnout. Need to think about hazard pay, pay increases, recognizing the risks that staff face.” |
“Investing in staff and making sure they are taken care of—wellness, time off, being flexible based on their needs, helping them feel supported and connected.” |
| Data capacity | ||
| Having data systems in place for COVID-19 and beyond |
“Ahead of the curve on mpox because COVID helped [us] prepare… Knowing we have these tools available and just have to make minor changes for a new disease makes [us] feel less stressed/overwhelmed when something new comes” |
“One challenge [to pandemic response] is siloed data systems.” |
| Collaboration | ||
| Internal and external partnerships with other criminal justice agencies, community-based organizations, court systems, and public health agencies |
“When facilities were able to turn things around, it was about collaboration—not just across facilities, but within facilities, with health department, etc. multidisciplinary team to help figure out how to handle things.” |
“Lots of opportunities to expand the relationships developed during COVID to other things. Working with the local jails now to become vaccination sites, training their nurses, getting grants to improve healthcare.” |
| Communication | ||
| Internal and external communication, such as regular meetings, updates or education with colleagues and partners |
“Close communication with local health department (don’t just call them when there’s an emergency) —keep maintaining that relationship, make sure you always have a contact” |
“It's so important to take the time to have conversations to understand where facilities are coming from, why implementing public health recommendations was challenging, understanding why some recommendations are not feasible.” |
| Public health support | ||
| Ways public health agencies can support correction and detention facilities in the future | “If public health understood life at a small city jail that would help. Everything seemed to flow well for the big jails, but small ones had it harder to make things work. Especially lack of on-site medical, no logistics section—these things have to be added to people’s existing duties.” | “The public health workforce needs to understand technical aspects of corrections—if scientists don’t know these things, that chips away at trust. We need technical training on what it is like to work in prison and jail.” |
*See Appendix for an expanded version of this table.
Page created: April 01, 2024
Page updated: April 01, 2024
Page reviewed: April 01, 2024
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