Advocates demand ousting Wellpath from Santa Rita Jail

(KRON) — Maurice Monk was arrested for refusing to wear a mask and arguing on a public AC Transit bus during the COVID pandemic. The 45-year-old man had a warrant for missing a court date, and he couldn’t afford to post $2,500 bail. Monk died in his Santa Rita Jail cell on Nov. 15, 2021.

The inmate was deceased for three days before any deputies or health workers in the jail noticed, according to attorneys.

Social justice advocates with Interfaith Coalition for Justice in our Jails (ICJJ) are calling on the county to replace Wellpath, the provider of medical services at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Wellpath, a private prison health care company, has a troubling track record at Alameda County’s jail.

“Sixty-eight men have died in custody since 2014, including 11 since Monk died, making Santa Rita Jail one of the deadliest jails in the country,” attorneys with Pointer & Buelna, LLP, Lawyers for the People wrote.

Monk, who had diabetes and schizoaffective disorder, was denied medical care behind bars, according to attorney Adante Pointer. A Wellpath nurse is among 11 Santa Rita Jail staff members who are currently facing criminal charges for Monk’s in-custody death. Seven Alameda County sheriff’s deputies were also charged.

Advocates with ICJJ wrote, “Every report card on Wellpath’s care at Santa Rita has come back with devastatingly low marks. Wellpath has been the medical care provider in Santa Rita jail since 2016. The company is owned by a global investment firm and provides healthcare in 34 of California’s 56 county jails. Over 1,500 lawsuits have been filed nationwide against Wellpath, and the company’s recent bankruptcy filing will prevent affected families from receiving justice.”

Three days of prescription medication and food had been thrown through the slot of his door and accumulated on the floor of Monk’s cell, according to ICJJ.

On Friday, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ Health & Public Protection Committees will hold a joint meeting to receive an update on the results of recent audits of the medical care provided at the Santa Rita Jail. In advance of this meeting, Supervisor Elisa Marquez and Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez reaffirm their shared commitment to ensuring all inmates receive medical care. The meeting will include an update from Forvis Mazars, the Sheriff’s Office medical quality
assurance consultant.

Sheriff Sanchez wrote Thursday, “The Sheriff’s Office is committed to accountable and transparent oversight of our contracts. We rely on the expertise of Forvis Mazars and Alameda County Health to support compliance and improve outcomes. Our goal remains clear: to provide the best medical care possible to our incarcerated population.”

County officials said Forvis Mazars’ audit found ongoing challenges in care management and emergency response at Santa Rita Jail.

Alameda County settled a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Monk’s family for $7 million. The lawsuit is still pending against Wellpath. The county’s death certificate states that Monk died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.