Make prisoner move health safe

April 26, 2007

The Michigan Department of Corrections has appealed an order by U.S. District Judge Richard Enslen that prevents the department from transferring more than 600 chronically ill and disabled inmates from Southern Michigan Correctional Facility until Enslen approves a plan to assure their safety.

Whatever the outcome of the appeal, the judge is right. Past Corrections practices show a clear danger to the health of those inmates if they are moved without a sound plan for adequate staffing and support services at any prison to which they are sent. Even if the Appeals Court reverses Enslen's order, the department should not transfer those inmates until Enslen and his independent medical monitor agree that it is medically safe.

In a cost-cutting move, the state plans to close the 1,300-bed Southern Michigan Correctional Facility by July. It plans to move the prison's dialysis unit to Ryan Correctional Facility in Detroit. But the state has not shown the court that Ryan can accommodate such a unit or provide the necessary medical support staff. The state has even refused to let the prisoners' attorneys or their medical expert into Ryan to examine its health care system.

The 60 dialysis patients at Southern Michigan Correctional Facility are of special concern. They've had continuing difficulties getting medications and seeing specialists. If history is a guide, a move could aggravate those problems and cause unnecessary suffering and even death. Moreover, two dialysis patients died at the prison earlier this month, raising more flags about the quality of care.

Following a Free Press editorial page investigation last year, the department vowed to fix inmate health care problems. A good place to start would be full cooperation with the court to assure the safety of hundreds of chronically ill and disabled inmates at Southern Michigan Correctional Facility.

Copyright © 2007 Detroit Free Press Inc.