MIDDLESEX COUNTY PRISON COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER

MCPCC met on June 11, 2003 in West Newton. Mary Ann Donaldson,

Beverly Wilkins, Tom Crowther, Elizabeth Woodbridge and Marjorie

Moerschner were present. Our guest speaker was George Gallitano,

Director of Health Services at Billerica.

George Gallitano is a nurse, with a PhD in nursing. He has

been associated with the prison health system for 15 years, at

the Cambridge Jail and then at Billerica; he took over as director after Larry Burke retired. He also teaches anatomy and physiology at Middlesex Community College.

There are 40,000 to 50,000 visits to the infirmary each year, about 200 on a given day. Most of the daily visits are from men who come in on sick call, If an inmate needs to be seen, he puts his name and cell number in a box and waits to be called. The infirmary is open for sick call 5 days a week. Someone is always available for emergencies. A physician has regular weekly clinics at Billerica and Cambridge and is on call. A specialist on infectious disease and an orthopedic surgeon are on call.

Most inmates have bad teeth. A dentist spends one day a week at Billerica and one day a week at the Cambridge Jail, seeing about 40 men each day. An eye doctor comes to Billerica one day a month. Eye glasses are made by inmates at Gardner at low cost.

The prison is experiencing a nursing shortage. It has 9

full-time nurses, but is looking for more. Nurses are often

reluctant to go into a prison situation, but those who do seem to

like it. It would be good to see a course in prison nursing

given at one of the nursing schools. Most of the nurses at

Billerica are women.

There have been no budget cuts in health services in the prison. The Middlesex Sheriff's budget is separate from the state budget.

The current population at Billerica includes 18 diabetics,

20 known cases of HIV and lots of men with hepatitis C. A

hemophiliac has been in the prison several times. If he

experiences a bleeding episode it puts quite a strain on prison

resources.

The infirmary has 8 beds, On June 11, 7 were occupied, by

men with problems including gunshot wounds (acquired before

arrest) broken bones and liver disease. Three men were there

because of mental problems.

After state mental hospitals closed several years ago,

people with mental problems often had nowhere to go but prison.

One third of the population at Billerica are on medication for

mental problems, mainly depression. Most of these men are in the

general population, but the sickest are in the infirmary.

There are three psychiatrists who go to the jail and the

prison on a part time basis. Dr.Sperber is at Billerica about

13 hours a week, under a grant, and he comes in if there is an

emergency.

The grant money which allowed very qualified social workers

like Judy Garafalo to work at the prison has unfortunately dried up, and they are missed. They provided therapy and could prepare

discharge plans and referrals for men leaving prison. They also

tried to screen incoming men for mental problems. The nurses

have had to take over the screening process, especially for men

returning for the second or third time. One nurse does all the

discharge work for men with physical and mental health issues, Unfortunately the Dept. of Mental Health, which is experiencing budget cuts, is able to provide fewer referrals.

Men returning to the outside who are sick are put on

Medicaid. Those who receive health care after leaving are less

apt to go back to prison.

The infirmary will be in the new building, for which the

ground has already been broken. There will be 6 to 8 private

rooms, a 4-bed ward and a quiet room. Once the health services

are settled in the new, building they will try for accreditation.

The current quarters would not pass muster. Accreditation would

enable them to get grants.

We thank George Gallitano for coming to talk to us and bringing us up to date on a very important part of the prison system!

MCPCC has recently received generous gifts from the following

people and organizations:

Jean Bell

Rev. Anna Caskey

The Congregational Church of Littleton

Priscilla Damon

The Fullertons

Mike Gural

Art Judge

Doris Webber

These gifts are much appreciated!

NEXT MEETING: SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 at 7 PM

SECOND CHURCH, UCC, 60 HIGLAND STREET, WEST NEWTON