BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Sept. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Department of Corrections in Okaloosa County, Florida, has renewed its contract for medical services with Corizon Health for an additional term, the company announced today. Corizon, which has served the Okaloosa community for 16 years, was chosen following a competitive bidding process. The health services contract begins Oct. 1 and runs through 2022 with additional options to extend through 2024.
The Okaloosa facility, located in Florida’s Panhandle region, houses an average daily population of about 800 inmates. Throughout the partnership, the Corizon medical team has worked with the Department staff to innovate and improve services that impact the health of the patients. Late last year, the team partnered with the local health department and became the first county in the state to offer vaccines for Hepatitis A to all inmates. Additionally, the team created a program called Baby & Me aimed at improving health and outcomes for expectant mothers. Thanks to the work of the joint team, the jail was recently re-accredited by both the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare and the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission with scores of 100 percent each.
Chief Eric Esmond, head of the County’s jail division, said, “Corizon Health is an indispensable part of our team. Their ability to adapt on the fly to an ever-growing, ever-changing population is an immeasurable benefit to the citizens of Okaloosa County. We work in cohesion to tackle the everyday challenges associated with incarcerated populations, while also deliberating and incorporating innovative measures to improve in-jail and out-of-jail quality of life. We could not be happier in the mutual investment of this fruitful and symbiotic relationship. Our amazing team of medical professionals are an example of what other providers should seek to emulate.”
“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished for the medical needs of the Okaloosa inmates. The results achieved speak to the strength of our on-site team and tremendous relationship with jail staff, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to embark on a continued partnership with the County,” said Karen Davies, vice president of operations for Corizon.
About Corizon Health
Corizon Health is a leading provider of correctional healthcare services in the United States, providing quality healthcare services to states and municipalities across the country for more than forty years. Corizon offers comprehensive solutions for medical care, behavioral care, pharmaceutical and re-entry services. For more information, please visit www.corizonhealth.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Eve Hutcherson
Corporate Communications
Eve.Hutcherson@corizonhealth.com
615-660-6789