April 22, 1996

Presiding Judge, Santa Barbara County Superior Court

1100 Anacapa Street

Santa Barbara, CA 93121

Your Honor:

This is in response to the 1995-96 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury interim final report of the Inmate Death of May 4, 1995.

Finding 5, Recommendation 5

The Grand Jury found that the Registered Nurse on duty was unable to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) because of physical problems. It recommends that all medical personnel at the jail must be able to perform CPR under all conditions.

Health Care Services' Medical Services Manager performs a quarterly review of professional licensing and certification of jail medical staff employed by Prison Health Services, Inc. This review assures that all medical personnel have current, CPR certification.

Finding 6, Recommendation 6a

The Grand Jury recommends that the Quality Assurance Report prepared by the Medical Staff Coordinator be attached to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department Major Crime Investigation Report.

Health Care Services recommends that a copy of the Quality Assurance Report not be attached to the Sheriff's Major Crime Investigation Report. The purpose of the Quality Assurance Report is to provide information to the County and Prison Health Services to evaluate patient care as part of the ongoing Quality Assurance Program. This form is protected from discovery in legal proceedings under Evidence Code Section 1157 as long as it is used exclusively for medical care quality assurance purposes. By attaching it to the Sheriff's report, the form would lose its status as a confidential document and would become discoverable.

Sincerely,

Steven A. Escoboza

Director

cc: Charlie Mitchell, Risk Manager

Sheriff Jim Thomas

Chief John DaFoe