Healthcare Services
Medical Program
Under contract with the City of Roanoke, NaphCare, Inc provides health care for inmates. This is a joint effort by the Sheriff and NaphCare, requiring mutual trust and cooperation. Essentially, the jail physician arranges for the availability of health care services and the Sheriff provides support for accessibility of health services to inmates. Health care services provided to inmates is the sum of all action taken (preventive and therapeutic) to provide for the physical and mental well-being of the inmate population.Medical Staff
All matters of medical (including psychiatric) and dental judgment is the sole province of the Jail Physician, serving as the health authority for the jail and making all final medical judgments. The jail physician is registered and licensed to practice medicine and dispense drugs in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is responsible for providing and supervising all health care services for inmates. It is the policy of the Roanoke City Sheriff's Office to provide adequate space and equipment as determined by the Sheriff and the jail physician.The medical section is staffed by medical personnel to include:
- Dental assistants
- Licensed professional nurses
- Medical supervisor and assistant
- Part-time dentist
- Part-time jail physician
- Part-time psychiatrist
- Records clerk
- Registered nurses
- Secretary
Medical & Dental Services
Adequate medical and dental services can increase inmate morale while reducing jail disturbances and civil actions filed by inmates. Inmate medical complaints are addressed during routine medical rounds in the jail. All medical complaints not addressed by the medical staff on routine rounds are brought to the medical department for follow up and disposition on a daily basis. The medical program provides for various on-site diagnostic testing. The jail physician visits the jail weekly to treat those inmates requiring attention. These inmates are placed on the physician's referral list by the medical staff.There are occasions when an inmate must be referred by the jail physician or medical staff to community health care providers - i.e., hospitals, dentist offices, health centers, clinics, etc. for medical treatment. The jail's transportation section assists the medical program by providing security and transportation to these facilities. The Jail's Medical Section is one of the few facilities in this part of the country to be accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. The Roanoke City Jail operates a Medical Co-Payment Program under the authority of the Code of Virginia. Inmates pay a co-payment for various medical services such as dental visits, sick call, jail/other doctor visits and prescription handling fees. However, medical care is never refused to an inmate because of inability to pay. These co-payments are utilized as a source to off-set the rising costs of medical care.
Services
Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare currently provides the following services to the inmates at the Roanoke City Jail:- Emergency Medical Health Services - Screening for hospitalization for inmates meeting commitment criteria
- Individual Visitation - Inmates active in the substance abuse outpatient program and requesting services, may be seen by staff
- Substance Abuse Counseling - Individual and group substance abuse counseling plus counseling services for the jail's therapeutic community is conducted by a mental health professional
- Project LINK - Project LINK is a prevention and treatment group available to pregnant women and those with a history of substance abuse (alcohol, drugs and/or tobacco) during pregnancy, with small children. The project assists in accessing services and providing biweekly group sessions
- Community Resource Education - Information is provided to inmates whose substance abuse problems may need additional resources for treatment in the community once released
301 Elm Avenue, SW
Roanoke, VA