ACT UP Protest against medical neglect in Philadelphia jails: 8/15

[Richard . C . Moreau]

----- Forwarded by Richard C Moreau/DHS/Phila on 08/13/01 12:07 PM -----

Jean J Merritt 08/13/01 08:17 AM

To:                 cc:        (bcc: Richard C Moreau/DHS/Phila)         Subject:        ACT UP Protest against medical neglect in Philadelphia jails: 8/15

Please forward widely, and forgive duplicate postings:

Demand an end to medical neglect in Philadelphia jails, for inmates with
AIDS and all other life threatening conditions. Demonstrate in Philadelphia:
Wednesday August 15, 11:00AM:

Where:
11:00 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center 12th and Arch Streets; march to
City Hall.

Why:
ACT UP is targeting Prison Health Services (PHS), the prison HMO that has a
$25 million annual contract to provide physical and mental health care to
the 7,000 inmates in Philadelphia jails, and Mayor Street, for
Philadelphiaıs unwillingness to force PHS to provide the standard of care
they are contracted to provide.

AIDS activists and inmatesı friends and loved ones have received complaints
for years about dangerous, life threatening lapses in AIDS, asthma, mental
health, and diabetes care in the countyıs jails.

Background:
>From consistent interruptions and lapses in HIV medication that should be
given on a strict daily schedule, to a cluster of three jail suicides in six
weeks during May and June 2001, to inmates being unable to obtain emergency
hospital care when they are at risk for grave illness or death, PHS care is
a sentence in itself for many inmates.

But PHS is getting paid to provide this health care--$25 million in taxpayer
money. Instead, they are cutting corners to take in the largest possible
profits for their investors and their executives. And the sickest, most
vulnerable inmates suffer the most.

The City claims they have the situation under control, that they are aware
of the problems, and they are handling each and every one of them. But PHS
is a troubled company: they have lost jail and prison contracts in the midst
of deaths and scandal in Maine, Georgia, Colorado, Florida'all over the
country.

Transparent monitoring, oversight, and swift punishment of PHS for poor
performance by the city are the only tools citizens of Philadelphia have to
make sure inmates get the basic, necessary medical care they require.
The city is refusing to make these interventions. So we must demand that
they do.

During the demonstration, ACT UP will award "golden urns" to Prison Health
Services and to Mayor Street, for refusing to provide for the constitutional
right to health care for inmates with AIDS and all other chronic diseases.

Activists will also give an "award" to the American Correctional Association
(ACA), the prison lobbying group that is having their annual conference in
Philadelphia during the same time. Prison Health Services is a prominent
member of the ACA, and the ACA offers "accreditation" to deadly companies
like PHS as proof they are "upstanding prison businesses." The ACAıs
professional verneer canıt hide the truth about their member companies like
PHS: they are getting away with murder.

For more information: contact ACT UP at: (215) 731-1844 or e mail:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

For information about demonstrations against the ACA during their annual
conference, go to: www.stoptheaca.org