LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In an effort to increase transparency and reduce harm, Mayor Craig Greenberg has announced a series of reforms coming to the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (LMDC).
He said these reforms are "just the beginning" of an effort to improve conditions and outcomes at Louisville's jail.
"From those residing at Louisville Metro Corrections to the hard-working men and women providing staffing and medical care, we need to be doing all we can to ensure they are in a safe and healthy environment," Greenberg said.
One of the new transparency tools Greenberg announced is a dashboard to show data about LMDC's population.
The Louisville Metro Corrections Dashboard will display daily infographics on the jail's population including age, gender, race, length of stay, category of charge, amount of set bond and other information.
"Rebuilding trust with the community is going to begin by allowing the public unfettered information about Metro Corrections," Greenberg said.
Initial entry screenings at the jail will now include bolstered psychological evaluations to ensure those arriving at LMDC have better access to mental health and harm reduction services.
Officials said although mental health was already being screened during those initial evaluations, they were conducted by a registered nurse who relied on residents self-disclosing their mental health conditions.
Under the new policy, a certified mental health professional will be present 24 hours a day so that each person is screened by a mental health professional.
"We can't help people if we don't know they need help," Greenberg said. "By ensuring a mental health professional is screening for mental wellness, not just physical health, we are working to better understand which residents need assistance."
Finally, the mayor confirmed that LMDC will be ending its partnership with a heavily-scrutinized healthcare service provider, Wellpath, when its contract expires at the end of July.
Greenberg said there will be a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for health care services. The RFP is under preparation.
Greenberg said the RFP has been created with community input and crafted in a way to address the changing needs of the LMDC population.
For instance, he said the RFP seeks a healthcare partner that provides care with an emphasis on mental and behavioral health, treatments for substance abuse disorders, and medical detoxification.
This comes just weeks after Metro Council-appointed investigator and former FBI agent David Beyer noted a slew of problematic trends and shortcomings within the facility. The release of the full report -- including hundreds of pages of findings -- is expected on Monday, according to Council President Markus Winkler.
LMDC Director Jerry Collins said the jail is seeking a true partner in reforming how Metro Corrections operates.
"I want the community to know we are committed to delivering quality health care to those in our care," Collins said.
Collins also said they've added a new telehealth service last month, allowing staff to expedite the process of getting inmates their medication quicker.
Greenberg hopes these changes make a dramatic impact on the safety and health of those within LMDC.
"We're moving as fast as we can to bring these and other changes, and we will work with the community to be as transparent and responsive as possible to make sure we deliver this much needed change," he said.
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