Regular Update
|
Staff |
Incarcerated Population |
Parolees |
|---|---|---|
|
15131 |
11970* |
635 |
*Of these confirmed cases, 11,879 are now recovered and out of isolation.
DOCCS COVID-19 CONFIRMED DEATHS
|
Staff |
Incarcerated Population |
Parolees |
|---|---|---|
|
18 |
48 |
9 |
NOTE: The official cause of death is determined and released by the County Medical Examiner's Office
DOCCS Confirmed Incarcerated Population By Facility
For security reasons, DOCCS is not disclosing information on the facility where those impacted work or are hospitalized.
With each confirmed case, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) works with the New York State Department of Health to identify any potentially exposed individuals to provide notifications and to stop the spread of the virus.
The testing process is currently the same for those in prison as it is for those in the community. Our physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, working with our nurses, are following the guidance of the NYS Department of Health and incarcerated individuals are tested when exhibiting symptoms and after a medical evaluation is conducted. In addition, if an incarcerated individual is quarantined (mandatory or precautionary) and has shown symptoms of COVID-19 illness, or if facts and circumstances warrant, as determined by the treating clinician in consultation with state and local department of health officials, they are also isolated and tested.
Our process identifies patients who are ill and require special monitoring and care and isolates those who create the greatest risk of transmission to others. Asymptomatic patients who wear a mask and follow social distancing and hand hygiene guidelines have minimal risk to others. A nurse will swab the individual and that swab is then sent to an authorized lab. As we await the results, the individual is isolated. If an individual’s test result is positive that person is maintained in isolation for a minimum of 10 days.
Preparedness
In its history, the Department has successfully managed infectious outbreaks, such as tuberculosis, AIDS, and Hepatitis C. DOCCS maintains a comprehensive Pandemic Flu protocol that has been modified for COVID-19.
DOCCS retains supplies, equipment and other resources that are being made available, as needed, for impacted correctional facilities during the spread of this infectious disease. As with the occurrence of any widespread public health threat, the Department is involved in ongoing discussions and preparations, including protocol review and emergency supply inventory to ensure that the Department’s policies and procedures are as up to date as possible. The Department also has negative air flow isolation rooms and Regional Medical Units.
Emergency control plans are in place at each facility and regularly reviewed. Each plan is uniquely designed to meet that facility’s needs. These plans include preparedness measures, response mechanisms, and short- and long-term recovery provisions. The Department has been and continues conducting table-top exercises to prepare for additional positive cases.
The Department employs medical staff specially trained in infection control in facilities across the state and has plans for each facility to implement to deal with significant staff absences.
In addition, a COVID-19 Task Force has been created and meets regularly to monitor and assess all actions and potential actions in response to this public health crisis. The Department’s executive team has consistent communication with all Facility Supervising Superintendents, Superintendents, as well as Community Supervision Regional Directors and Assistant Regional Directors as a means of monitoring in real time all COVID-19 related issues that arise within the system.
Ongoing communication is delivered to staff and incarcerated individuals on preventative measures to stay healthy, including the top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Department of Health recommendations, as well as cleaning guidelines issued by the New York State Office of General Services.
What DOCCS Is Doing
The Department takes the continued spread of this global health emergency seriously and shares the same concerns as staff, incarcerated individuals, and their loved ones.
Our focus is ensuring that the hardworking men and women of this Department, as well as our incarcerated and formerly incarcerated populations, are healthy and safe. Just as we have successfully managed infectious outbreaks in the past, we have emergency protocols in place and have proactively made adjustments in our facilities and community supervision offices in an attempt to limit any outbreaks.
Each action we take in response to the spread of COVID-19 is done in the best interest of those who work and are incarcerated in our facilities or supervised in the community. We will continue to evaluate all options as this situation unfolds.
Here are some of the measures DOCCS has initiated to ensure the safety and well-being of staff, incarcerated individuals, and parolees:
- Supplying incarcerated individuals subject to isolation and quarantine with surgical-type masks.
- Working with phone and tablet vendors to ensure continued access to some weekly free calls and secure messages for the incarcerated population
- Expanding offerings to the incarcerated population through the general population tablet program.
- Displaying posters with information on COVID-19 and safety tips throughout DOCCS facilities and offices statewide.
- Regularly showing a video to the incarcerated population and staff at the facilities on proper hand washing.
- Issuing enhanced cleaning/sanitizing measures and disinfecting procedures for office surfaces and devices consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State Department of Health guidelines, including working with landlords to ensure cleaning protocols are followed under the appropriate guidelines with increased frequency throughout offices especially high-risk areas and issuing appropriate protocols on how to clean vehicles.
COVID-19 Protocols
FACILITIES
Additional Phone and Tablet Services
Effective September 1, 2021
The Department recognizes the importance of family and the ability for the incarcerated population to communicate with them. As a result, instead of eliminating all of the free services provided during the height of COVID on August 31, 2021, we have renegotiated our existing phone contract, and are in the process of doing the same with our tablet contract, to permanently provide a number of free calls and secure messages for each incarcerated individual per month and at the same time, reduce the overall per minute calling rate and stamp cost. Effective September 1, 2021, the free reply Wednesday and the newsstand offering will be discontinued, and the following provisions will take effect:
- Domestic Per Minute Call Rate - The domestic per minute call rate and total cost per minute rate will be reduced from $.0430 per minute to $.0399 per minute; and
- Free Calls - Each incarcerated individual will receive one free 15-minute call per week that will be made available every Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and will be associated with the first call made during each week. The free call will not carry forward from week to week.
- Stamp Price Reduction – The single stamp price will be reduced from $.33 per stamp to $.25 per stamp for single purchases, with stamp bundles being similarly reduced from $.23 to $.17 per stamp for a bundle of 100 stamps.
- Free Stamps - Each incarcerated individual with access to a general confinement tablet and kiosk will receive four (4) free stamps to use for secure messaging per month. (The stamps are not available for use while an individual is serving a disciplinary confinement sanction) Stamps are added to your account on the first of each month and the incarcerated individual will have the full month to utilize the stamps. The stamps do not accumulate from month to month.
BOARD OF PAROLE
Interviews
The Board of Parole is continuing to conduct interviews and issuing determinations. Decisions will continue to be issued within two weeks of the interview date.