Jails around the U.S. often hire private health care firms, funded by taxpayers, to treat inmates. NaphCare, a billion-dollar enterprise, has been paid to offer medical and mental health services at Ohio's Montgomery County Jail. There is a history of deaths, legal settlements and substandard case issues involving NaphCare. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the company operates in dozens of jails in 32 states. Jails where NaphCare is contracted have seen the highest death tolls compared with any health care provider, Reuters reported in 2020. After several deaths in Massachusetts, California and Arizona, NaphCare has been penalized millions of dollars for failing to provide adequate staffing at jail facilities. Other detainees in its care have suffered deadly cases of malnourishment and scabies. The U.S. Department found that the company overcharged jails for its services and forced it to pay back almost $700,000 in 2021.
Isaiah Trammell was one of seven people who died at, or shortly after being held at Montgomery's county jail in 2023. An investigation by Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections found the facility “was not compliant with several applicable jail standards”. However, NaphCare says it is committed to providing "compassionate, comprehensive and proactive health care for every patient with integrity and transparency”. NaphCare says it had staff at the Montgomery County jail “24 hours a day, seven days a week”. Activists in Montgomery County jail are worried that their requests to be involved in $20 million renovation plans, which are supposed to include 100 medical care beds, have been disregarded. “If there will be 100 more medical beds in the renovated jail, we assume NaphCare’s contract will be expanded to include this massive increase in services delivered,” the Montgomery County Jail Coalition’s Joel Pruce said. “We’ve asked how much it will cost. We’ve asked what additional oversight would be in place too. Considering they are such an infamous company, the idea they will have more responsibility is frightening.” Despite the deaths and controversies, in January, Montgomery County renewed its contract with NaphCare to the tune of $7.6 million.
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