MEMORANDUM

Date: May 1, 1997

To: The Honorable William J. Gordon, Presiding Judge Superior Court

From: Elliot Schulman, MD, Interim Director
Health Care Services

SUBJECT: Response to Grand Jury 1996-97 Interim Final Report
Detention Report

cc: Members, Board of Supervisors
Patricia Fillippini, Foreperson, Grand Jury
Michael Brown, County Administrator
M.L. Gordon, Administrative Analyst

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FINDING 5: AIDS/HIV testing is done only if individuals are determined to be in a high risk category or show clinical evidence of the disease.

RECOMMENDATION 5: The Prison Health Services, Inc. contract should be implemented as written. In addition to the above reasons, AIDS/HIV testing should also be performed upon inmate request.

AFFECTED AGENCY:
1. Santa Barbara County Health Care Services Department

HEALTH CARE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE TO FINDING 5:

The Sheriff's policy regarding AIDS Education and Counseling is to cooperate with County Health Care Services to provide AIDS education and counseling services for inmates. (see policy attached). HCS is able to provide up to eight hours a week of confidential HIV counseling and testing services in the main jail. The funding for this at-risk population is through HCS' Master Grant Agreement with the State for Anonymous Test sites. HCS is able to counsel about three inmates an hour.

The Sheriff's contract with Prison Health Services, Inc. (hereafter PHS) is for medically necessary services. Monthly, Health Care Services reviews PHS's performance by auditing thirty (30) medical records, verifying staff attendance, and reviewing service reports and inmate grievances for the Sheriff. The review finds that PHS is providing AIDS/HIV testing as clinically indicated within the current community standard or practice. PHS notifies the Sheriff who notifies the HCS AIDS Coordinator if an inmate requests an AIDS/HIV test and it is not clinically indicated.