Marin County Jail Receives Accreditation for Inmate Health Services

PHOTO: Karl Finley (center), the detention nursing supervisor at the Marin County Jail, accepts a resolution honoring health and jail staff from Supervisor Susan Adams during the November 25 Board of Supervisors meeting. CREDIT: County of Marin

By Bay City News Service:

Marin County Jail has been accredited for its health services, complying with more than 50 standards set to better serve inmates, county officials announced Wednesday.

The jail is the 14th county facility to be awarded the accreditation by Institute for Medical Quality, a nonprofit subsidiary of the California Medical Association, according to county officials.

This is the first accreditation the jail has received from the nonprofit organization, which is based in San Francisco.

The county’s Department of Health and Human Services and Marin County Sheriff’s correctional officers run health services at the jail.

The accreditation process is voluntary and assessed the facility’s medical, mental and dental services for inmates.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution last Tuesday congratulating those who aided in the accreditation process, which started in the summer of 2013.

“Too often the inmate population lives on the margins and does not have access to quality health care,” county Health and Human Services Director Larry Meredith said in a statement.

“I commend jail health, mental health and Sheriff’s custody staff for their collaborative pursuit of excellence and recognition that everyone deserves access to quality health care. This accreditation award sets a new standard for the provision of health care in Marin detention facilities. We are proud of their accomplishments,” Meredith said.