Chapter 6 – Adult Classification

62090.6.4.4 BPH Attendees with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

• Attendees with disabilities and medical conditions may present medical documentation regarding their medical condition or disability to custody staff to help inform him or her of their situation and facilitate the screening process. This documentation is not required and will not exempt the attendee from the security screening process.

• Attendees should advise custody staff of an implanted pacemaker, other implanted medical device, or metal implant and where that implant is located. Attendees who have a pacemaker should (but are not required to) carry a Pacemaker Identification Card when going through security screening and shall be screened with a full body pat-down search instead of walking through the metal detector or being screened with a hand-wand.

• If an attendee states that he or she should not go through the metal detector or be screened with a hand-wand because it could affect the functionality of their implanted medical device or the magnetic calibration of their implanted medical device, custody staff shall conduct a full body pat-down search prior to the attendee being permitted to enter the institution.

• Prostheses, Assistive Devices, and Mobility Aids

  • Custody staff are to visually and physically inspect prosthetic devices, assistive devices, mobility aids, casts or support braces as part of the screening process. Custody staff will not ask nor require removal of prosthetic device(s), casts, orthopedic shoes or support braces. Attendees may be asked to lift specific clothing to effect a visual inspection of the prosthesis or support brace, i.e., lift pant leg or sleeve to expose the prosthetic device.

  • Attendees will not be required to remove medical devices, such as an insulin pump, feeding tube, ostomy or urine bag at any time during the screening process. Attendees are to advise screeners if they have an ostomy or urine bag. Attendees are not required to expose these devices for inspection unless the hand held metal detection device is set off, at which point a visual and physical inspection (pat-down of the area, over top of clothing) will be conducted to ensure there are no prohibited items being concealed in the area.

  • Attendees who require use of a wheelchair shall not be required to pass through the metal detector nor be asked to transfer to another wheelchair for screening purposes. Custody staff shall affect a visual and physical inspection of their wheelchair. Custody staff shall then use a hand held wand to search the attendee.

  • Augmentation devices attached to wheelchairs are permitted through the screening process once they have undergone visual and physical inspection.

  • The following medical and disability-related assistive devices needed by attendees during the BPHBoard of Parole Hearings (formerly Board of Prison Terms) process are permitted into the institution; however, they are subject to inspection and search. The assistive devices will be itemized on CDC Form 1000. Smaller items, such as necessary medications, scissors, and syringes shall be placed in a container provided by the institution and carried into the institution/hearing. The contents of the container will be accounted for via the CDC Form 1000 upon exiting the facility. All other items that are not needed during the hearing will be either left in the entrance building in a locker or returned to the attendees’ vehicle:

    • Wheelchairs, scooters, crutches, casts, canes, walkers, prosthetic devices, support braces, exterior medical devices.

    • Orthopedic shoes and appliances, augmentation devices, Braille note takers, slate and stylus.

    • Ostomy-related supplies such as positioning plates (wafers), collection pouches and scissors (blunt tipped.)

    • Service animals such as dog guides, assistance, hearing and seizure alert dogs, monkey helpers.

    • Supplemental personal medical oxygen containers/systems and other respiratory-related equipment and devices.

    • All diabetes related equipment and supplies, including:

      • Insulin and insulin loaded dispensing products (vials, jet injectors, pens, infusers, and preloaded syringes).

      • Unused syringes when accompanied by insulin or other injectable medication.

      • Lancets, blood glucose meters, blood glucose meter test strips, alcohol swabs, meter-testing solutions.

      • Insulin pump and insulin pump supplies (cleaning agents, batteries, plastic tubing, infusion kit, catheter, and needle).

      • Glucagon emergency kit.

      • Urine ketone test strips.

      • Sharps disposal containers or similar hard-surface disposal container for storing used syringes and test strips.

  • All types and forms of medication, dispensers, and related supplies necessary for the attendee during the BPHBoard of Parole Hearings (formerly Board of Prison Terms) process.

  • All medications, including insulin, in any form or dispenser must be clearly identified. Attendees who are concerned about going through the walk-through metal detector with their insulin pump may request a full-body pat-down search and a physical inspection of their pump instead. Insulin pumps and supplies must be accompanied by insulin.

• Hearing and Visual Disabilities

  • Attendees are not required to remove hearing aids or the exterior component of a cochlear implant during the screening process. Exterior components of a cochlear implant are to be visually and physically inspected while it remains on the attendee’s body.

  • Custody staff are to explain the security process to persons with visual disabilities and verbally communicate with them throughout each step of the screening process. Screeners are to provide persons with visual disabilities with assistance by providing them with an arm, hand, or shoulder as they move through the process. White collapsible canes are to be physically inspected after attendees have passed through the walk-through metal detector so that attendees can guide themselves through the walk-through metal detector. Equipment such as Braille note-takers are to be physically inspected.

• Medical Oxygen and Respiratory-Related Equipment

  • Supplemental personal medical oxygen and other respiratory-related equipment and devices (e.g. nebulizer, respirator) are permitted through the screening process once they have undergone screening. All respiratory equipment and oxygen will be visually and physically inspected. Attendees are not required to disconnect from their oxygen or respiratory device.

• Service Animals

  • Attendees using an animal for assistance should carry appropriate identification. Identification may include: cards or documentation, presence of a harness or markings on the harness, or other credible assurance of the attendee using the animal for their disability. At no time during the screening process will attendees be required to be separated from their service animal. Custody staff will not touch service animals. Attendees are required to maintain control of the animal in a manner that ensures the animal cannot harm the screener. Attendees are to advise the screener how they and their animal can best achieve screening when going through the metal detector as a team (i.e., walking together or with the service animal walking in front of or behind the attendee). If the walk-through metal detector alarms in the situation where the attendee and the animal have walked together, both the attendee and the animal must undergo additional screening. If the walk-through metal detector alarms on either the attendee or the animal individually (because they walked through separately), additional screening must be conducted on whoever alarmed the walk-through metal detector. If the animal alarms the walk-through metal detector, custody staff will ask the attendee or companion to remove the animal’s collar, harness, leash, backpack, vest, etc., for staff inspection prior to being permitted into the institution.