A Three-Dimensional Action Plan to Raise the Quality of Care of US Correctional Health and Promote Alternatives to Incarceration

The United States has the world’s highest incarceration rate. Nonetheless, health care provided during approximately 12 million annual incarcerations remains disconnected from the rest of the nations’ health apparatus. Care delivered to the incarcerated disproportionately impacts the poor, people of color, and those with behavioral health problems. The scope and quality of this care is inconsistent and often directed by security leadership, not health professionals. Additionally, vital information gathered in these settings is rarely used to coordinate care with community providers or consider alternatives to incarceration. To increase the quality and coordination of correctional health care, three key areas must be addressed: the funding model, the scope of services, and correctional health staff