At Council's jail health care hearing, the prisons chief disputes the 'no nurses' night and members send written questions

City Council's Committee on Legislative Oversight held its hearing on medical care in Philadelphia's jails on Wednesday afternoon. Families, health workers and advocates described months of disruption after the jails' longtime medical contractor, YesCare, went bankrupt in May. The city's prisons commissioner defended how the administration handled it, the Philadelphia Tribune reported.

The city is responsible for medical care for everyone it holds in its jails, and it provides that care through a private contractor. When that contractor falters, the risk lands on people in custody and on the workers caring for them.

What officials said

Prisons Commissioner Michael Resnick said the city arranged an emergency move to a new contractor, CFG Health, which kept 97% of YesCare's Philadelphia workforce, according to the Tribune. He said "uninterrupted healthcare was provided" to people in custody.

Resnick disputed the account that no nurses reported for an overnight shift in May. The city had described that night in a federal bankruptcy filing, as we reported in our hearing preview. Resnick said nine of 17 scheduled medical staff called out and five were replaced, the Tribune reported. He acknowledged some medical performance targets slipped in May and said they recovered by July.

The chair of the Philadelphia Prisons Community Oversight Board, the Rev. Dr. Chris Jimenez, said his board was not consulted before CFG got the contract and has not reviewed the agreement. "We can't do it if we and the public are kept in the dark," he said, according to the Tribune.

What workers and advocates described

Testimony described unpaid wages, missing retirement contributions and lost leave for YesCare workers, the Tribune reported. Workers eventually got back wages, but some lost leave and retirement benefits. Asked whether union members had been made whole, a union member answered no. Witnesses said vendors went unpaid and stopped repairs, lab services and some supplies. A Pennsylvania Prison Society representative described people in custody banging on cell doors for medical help, sometimes for hours.

Family members of people who died in custody also testified. We are not naming them.

What members did

• At-large Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke, who pushed for the hearing, said he hoped families felt heard.
• 9th District Councilmember Anthony Phillips proposed weekly talks among prison officials, union representatives and the oversight board. No schedule was set.
• Committee chair Isaiah Thomas pledged to keep working with prison officials, workers and the board.
• Council will send written questions to the Parker administration on medication-assisted treatment and contract oversight. At-large Councilmember Rue Landau is sending hers through the chair, the Tribune reported.

What our records add

• The resolution. The hearing was authorized by Resolution 260778, adopted Sept. 24 with nine sponsors: O'Rourke, Phillips, Thomas, Landau, Jamie Gauthier, Jim Harrity, Kendra Brooks, Mike Driscoll and Quetcy Lozada.
• 34 days. The hearing came 34 days after adoption, quick by Council standards.
• No contract vote. Our records show no Council bill approving the CFG Health contract. Jail medical contracts are awarded by the administration. Board members' complaint that they hadn't seen the agreement is a question Council can press but does not decide.
• Meeting record. The meeting page has the agenda. A video and transcript were not yet posted when this was published.

What's next

No further hearing or bill was announced, the Tribune reported. The administration's answers to Council's written questions are the next piece of the record to watch for. Any change in how the city oversees jail health contracts would take a bill, a committee hearing and two readings before Council.