ISCC HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR FOR CORIZON REFUSES TO MEET WITH PRISONERS DESPITE MEDICAL STAFF BEING CAUGHT LYING TO PATIENTS AND FALSIFYING MEDICAL RECORDS.

In the time Chris Johnson has been Corizon's Health Services Administrator (HSA) at the ISCC, several medical staff have either resigned or transferred reportedly due to his "style" of oversight, including asking, and at times requiring trained medical personnel to lie to prisoners about availability of medical equipment and services and either suggesting or asking staff to falsify documents - despite Mr. Johnson having no licence to practice medicine.

In one instance, a medical "provider" (a physician's assistant or PA) informed ISCC prisoner Dale Shackelford that despite his medical need, he would not be granted a medical memo authorizing a "mattress topper," effectively a mattress pad designed to alleviate hot spots and to cushion areas which prevented Shackelford from getting more than a few hours of sleep per night. Per the PA (who no longer works at the ISCC) this refusal was passed down from Chris Johnson who stated that no inmates were allowed to receive such an item per Corizon policy. When Shackelford requested a meeting with Johnson, he refused, stating, "If your issue relates to medical care, procedures, ATP's, medical appliances, etc. - you must see a provider."

When Shackelford filed a grievance on the matter, Corizon administrator William Wingert admitted that after checking the medical files of other prisoners, ISCC inmates are indeed being issued mattress toppers, and stated that Shackelford need only (again) schedule a medical appointment. When he did, Shackelford was again denied the memo for the very same reason - with PA Jose Celedon telling Shackelford that in discussion with his colleagues that very day, no such medical memos or items were to be distributed due to Corizon policy per HSA Chris Johnson.

Unconvinced, Shackelford researched the Corizon policy as it applies to IDOC prisoners, and found that not only was there no policy prohibiting such medical memos or items, Corizon actually published a list of criteria for the distribution of mattress toppers and other bedding including mattresses.

Despite continued requests, the ISCC medical department continued to deny the criteria existed, repeating that Corizon does not allow such items. Only after an official Public Records request was made of the IDOC were several documents - including the bedding/mattress criteria [Corizon Health Medical Bedding Authorization and Issuance] released and made available to Shackelford - it was criteria within which Shackelford and his diagnosed medical need neatly fit. Clearly, either Johnson was lying, or he was simply ignorant of the actual Corizon position on issuing medical memos for mattresses and/or mattress pads. Because (as it was later discovered) the criteria was actually posted on the wall in the medical department at ISCC (out of sight of prisoners), as well as their everyday dealings with HSA Johnson, the consensus of staff questioned on the matter was that Johnson is simply a liar. Shackelford wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, even provide him with a copy of the criteria. He was shut down.

Armed with this information and the IDOC Standard Operating Procedures on his side, Shackelford again tried to schedule a meeting with Johnson, and was for the third time denied, this time via a pill call nurse who now screens the Concern (correspondence) forms being sent to Johnson by Shackelford and a few other prisoners.

In researching the mattress/mattress topper issue, Shackelford came across Corizon RFP (contract) section 4.6.5 - Non-Emergency Healthcare Requests. This section provides that prisoners shall be seen by a provider within 14 calendar days of being recommended by a sick call nurse.

When Shackelford finally complained of persistent knee pain on November 26, 2019, he was recommended to see a provider by the sick call nurse that very day. After 2 weeks of not having been seen by a provider, Shackelford submitted a concern form to the medical department, this time citing and quoting the section of RFP 4.6.5 and requesting to be seen by the provider immediately per the contract. In response, medical personnel wrote back stating that according to their system (whatever that is) Shackelford had not been seen for his knee issue until December 8, 2019 - effectively negating the 14 day deadline which began to run on November 26th. In conversation with medical staff, Shackelford learned that this kind of thing happens "all the time" under HSA Johnson - that redating documents has become the norm when deadlines can't be met because of staff shortages - shortages (again) caused by Johnson and his "style" of running the medical department at ISCC. Johnson is also seen by staff as undercutting prisoner well-being (as well as trained medical staff's judgment) by unnecessarily putting Corizon dollars above the treatment of prisoners, even going as far as denying ISCC prisoners over-the-counter items, services and necessities available in all other male facilities in the IDOC.

Shackelford currently has another grievance pending regarding the failure to comply with the RFP section, as well as a pending request of an audit of Corizon's paperwork where documents and/or data entries may have been manipulated or falsified. Director of IDOC's Medical Services Rona Siegert has at every turn found a way to uphold Johnson's actions, and Shackelford now has enough of the administrative procedures regarding this matter exhausted to file suit against Corizon and the IDOC. He is also considering an action against Johnson (in his personal capacity) under various theories.