The National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) reaccredited the Sheriff’s Office in 2018 on the operation of the Adult Detention Center (ADC). NCCHC accreditation is a quality assurance process under which inmate health care services, programs and operations are evaluated by an external body. The Sheriff’s Office has been accredited by NCCHC since 1981.

The reaccreditation audit takes place every three years to ensure that the agency maintains compliance with federal and state regulations and more than 65 health care standards.

Sheriff Stacey Kincaid emphasizes that the accreditation process is voluntary. “We are committed to providing nationally recognized standards of health care delivery in our facility, which is why we choose to participate in the rigorous and challenging auditing process. A lead auditor has noted that the quality and quantity of services we provide is far greater than what he has seen in facilities across the country.”

Providing medical care for all in­mates is of critical importance to the Sheriff’s Office. Medical staff are in the ADC 24/7. The team includes licensed nurses, nurse practitioners and a phlebotomist. A physician, dentist and optometrist are on contract. The ADC has onsite x-ray and diagnostic services, an infirmary, a pharmacy and several chronic care clinics for conditions including diabetes, hypertension, HIV and other special needs. A negative pressure room is available for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.

Correctional health care programs often are an extension of local public health systems. Inmates tend to have a lower economic status and are less educated, particularly in the area of health care. They have a dispro­portionately higher rate of infectious and chronic diseases than the general popula­tion. Therefore, inmates are likely to enter the ADC with compromised health conditions.

As soon as a person is brought to the ADC, he or she is seen by a nurse, who takes a com­plete health history and makes the appro­priate referrals for physical and behavioral health care. Inmates also receive a complete physical within 14 days of their incarceration.

When an inmate submits a medical request form, nurses respond within 24 hours. Advanced practitioners respond within 48-72 hours, as needed.

If an inmate needs medical care beyond what can be rendered in the ADC, then City of Fairfax Fire and Rescue will transport the inmate to a local hospital. Sheriff’s deputies provide security during the transport and at the hospital for the duration of the stay.

A collaborative working relationship between medical staff and Sheriff’s deputies is the key to success. “We have a very effective health care reporting and delivery system that ensures a safe and healthy environment,” said Kincaid.

The Sheriff’s Office is also accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, the Virginia Department of Corrections and the American Correctional Association.