By C1 Staff
DENVER, Colo. — As jail deaths from alcohol or drug withdrawal rise, more families are suing correctional centers after they say inadequate medical care was given.
NBC News reports that deaths from such causes have increased 23 percent in one year, from 57 deaths in 2012 to 70 in 2013, according to the Department of Justice. As heroin use rises across the U.S., jails are receiving more addicts.
Experts say heroin detox is similar to a bad case of the stomach flu; vomiting and hydration levels have to be carefully monitored whether the patient is in jail or in rehab.
“Part of what’s required is to make sure you keep people hydrated, which is hard to do when they’re throwing up,” Art Schut, CEO of Arapahoe House Drug and Alcohol Center, said.
Two recent deaths in Colorado jails have brought the issue under scrutiny and have created new policies. Arrestees who arrive too high or drunk are turned away immediately, and jail nurses require those people to get medical clearance from a nearby hospital before they see a jail cell.
Following the death of an inmate from dehydration as a complication of opiate withdrawal, the jail disciplined six deputies and implemented a new policy that requires inmates withdrawing from drugs should get medical attention without delay. They also added an additional nurse and created a communication log between deputies and medical staff.
“We are not doctors,” Boulder County Jail Commander Jeff Goetz said. “That’s not our job. It’s to take care of them as best we can while they are in our custody.”