TALLAHASSEE
Citing shortcomings in mental-health services at a South Florida prison, state corrections officials are terminating a contract with a private healthcare provider months before the deal was set to expire.
Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones on Wednesday canceled the contract with Wexford Health Sources, giving the Pittsburgh-based company a required 180-day notice of termination. The cancellation notice means that Wexford will have to pull out of Florida prisons before its contract was set to expire in December.
Jones cited a scathing review this month from the Correctional Medical Authority of treatment offered at the South Florida Reception Center in Doral.
The report, sent to Jones this week, included examples of inmates’ medications being cut off and inmates getting put in restraints instead of being treated with medications.