Jobs, Training and Facilities, Prison Health Care

Training focuses on Health Care Access Unit

December 20, 2023

Corrections Services Acting Director Joseph "Jason" Williams speaks during the CCHCS training.

In early November, Corrections Services, California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), organized a two-day, statewide, in-person training for Health Care Access Unit Associate Wardens and Captains.

Chief executive officers, wardens, and staff across the state also participated via Microsoft Teams.

Importance of access to health care

The opening address by Joseph “Jason” Williams, acting director, CCHCS, emphasized the importance of access to health care, to include ducat times and seeking workarounds rather than cancelling appointments, effective communication, and the importance of the See Something, Say Something campaign with regard to environment of care.

Throughout the event, attendees had opportunities to network and engage with CCHCS headquarters staff.

Day one topics included:

Importance and Background of the Operations Monitoring Audit
HCAU Staffing
HCA Access Quality Reports/HCA Application
Compliance Reporting Unit Reports/Tools
Health Care Policy and Litigation Support
and Fleet Management.

Day two included a round robin by Regional Health Care Executives:

Rainbow Brockenborough (Region I)
Brittany Brizendine (Region II)
Chris Podratz (Region III), and Shereef Aref (Region IV)
Health Care Facility Maintenance
Health Care Placement Oversight Program
ATD/Joint Commission/Environment of Care
and Quality Management.

Emphasis during the two-day event was placed upon fleet management, telematics, the vehicle redirect process, and the Access to Quality Report by the Compliance Reporting Unit.

Medical appointments should not be canceled

Day two was concluded with the Director stressing the importance of not cancelling appointments. He also said Associate Wardens and Captains should take the information back to their facilities to be proactive, identify deficiencies, and empower staff.

Guest speakers enriched the sessions.

They included:

Eric Baker, Captain from the Mental Health Compliance Team, Division Adult Institutions
Megan Kunkes, Staff Services Manager (SSM) II, Office Business Services
Kevin Park, SSM II (Supervisor), Office Business Services
Annette Lambert, Deputy Director, Quality Management
Fong Hodgdon, Associate Director, Quality Management
and Dean Borders, Correctional Administrator, Retired Annuitant.

This comprehensive training aimed at enhancing healthcare services and fostering effective communication among staff, ensuring compliance and quality care across facilities.

Submitted by CCHCS staff