Union calls for increased mitigation efforts in state correctional facilities

The growing concern surrounding COVID-19 outbreaks in Iowa’s correctional facilities has increased as 10 inmates had reportedly died from the virus as of Wednesday afternoon. One staff member at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville has also died because of the virus.

The rising positivity rate led Danny Homan, president of AFSCME Council 61, to call a virtual press conference Monday, Nov. 23, to discuss mitigation efforts taking place in Iowa’s facilities. He was joined by State Rep. Wes Breckenridge, D-Newton, and State Sen. Rich Taylor, D-Mount Union, to speak about what more can be done to stop the spread.

“My biggest concern is: one, we’re going to have more deaths,” Homan said. “No inmate should have to get COVID-19 and pass away.”

During the press conference, Homan said the state announced its plan to release more N95 masks to the Iowa’s facilities, with the staff at the Newton Correctional Facility to begin fit testing people Dec. 1. While Homan has said he has been “begging” the Department of Corrections to distribute N95 masks since the beginning, Iowa DOC Communications Director Cord Overton said the masks have already been in circulation.

“The department has maintained OSHA-compliant N95 programs in all of our prisons for many years. Since the start of the pandemic, we have required anyone having close contact with any inmates that were presumptive or confirmed positive for COVID-19 to use an N95 along with a face shield,” Overton said in a written statement.

He also pointed out the supply of N95 respirators was low for several months around the country. With the reserves the Iowa Department of Corrections had and the additional supplies provided from the State Emergency Operations Center, the facilities have been able to have enough of the respirators to make it through the shortage until more masks became available.

“In the meantime, for staff that were unlikely to have close contact with positive inmates, we followed CDC guidelines for any staff working in units that might contain COVID-19 positive inmates by wearing two procedural masks, a face shield and a gown (much like you would see in most hospitals during the pandemic),” Overton said.

Homan was adamant during the press conference that masks other than the N95s were ineffective and wouldn’t protect a person from the virus. He believes the increasing number of the respirator mask is directly related to the staff member’s death.

“Lo and behold, now that we’ve had a correctional officer from the Iowa Institution for Women die of COVID-19, now we have or are going to be getting N95s,” he said.

Homan’s other main concern focused on moving inmates to and from different facilities. He believes as inmates are moved around, the virus moves with them, despite the DOC requirements for a negative COVID test and a 14-day quarantine process.

“I have been begging and literally begging for weeks with the director of corrections to shut corrections down. No more intakes,” Homan said. “Yeah, that’s going to inconvenience some sheriffs and other folks in the state. But we don’t need their problems coming in there. We need to shut the department down. We need to shelter in place. Leave all inmates where they’re at.”

Overton addressed Homan’s suggestions for a shelter in place describing it as a “lack of understanding of the criminal justice system in general.” He describes the department as just one agency within the system.

“What we do in the prisons has an impact on jail populations across the state and an impact on public safety in general. We have had to halt admissions into the system on two separate occasions since the start of the pandemic while we fought outbreaks at our main intake facility for men, the Iowa Medical and Classification Center,” Overton said.

When admissions are shut down, it causes county jails to fill up with inmates awaiting transfers. Overton said many of the Iowa jails are not equipped to handle a large population for an extended time. The burden is shifted to the county jail and its staff. These facilities have been trying to keep its populations low because of the pandemic.

Overton explains the admission process has been redesigned during the pandemic requiring a negative COVID-19 test before entry and a 14-day quarantine. Similar steps are being taken for inmates transferred between correctional facilities.

Sen. Taylor suggested the department of corrections may be pressured into not stopping intakes.

“I believe the director is trying to do the right things but the pressure from on top - and when I say on top I mean the governor’s office - is keeping her from what they need to do,” Taylor said.

Rep. Breckenridge said the state is charged with the safety and well-being of the inmates and staff at all of Iowa’s correctional facilities. He called for increased communication during the press conference. He wants a “clear, concise and simple message” for mitigating the virus in these state facilities and slowing the spread.

“What I’m asking, as a state representative, is let’s pool people together that really have the knowledge and information that can expand that information bubble to make the right decisions to make our correctional facilities safe, make sure our inmates and staff are taken care of,” he said.

Breckenridge pointed out this was not an issue unique to the correctional institutions. More than 140 outbreaks in long-term care facilities have been reported by the Iowa Department of Health. This is where an open line of communication is needed to help slow the spread in all of these situations.

Homan said he is willing to work with state legislatures and will continue to speak to the department of corrections to advocate for safety for the staff at the correctional facilities and the inmates housed there.

“We have to get COVID-19 under control inside our correctional facilities. It’s not the only place where COVID-19 is out of control,” Homan said.

The pandemic has had an impact in many ways this year and state departments have had to navigate through very difficult and challenging situations. The department of corrections is not immune to these challenges.

“We should be focusing on how we can best support each other through our difficulties. While some would try to use our hardships to score some cheap political points, I believe that by working together, not against each other, we will get through these challenging times,” Overton said.

Contact Pam Pratt at 641-792-3121 ext. 6530 or pampratt@newtondailynews.com