Policy Text
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES Page 1 of 2 10/04 (REV 6/19)
MJ/RCCC
OPERATIONS ORDER
Medical Intake Screening
The purpose of this Order is to standardize the procedures nece ssary to ensure each
arrestee receives a complete heal th screening prior to acceptan ce at the Main Jail or the
Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC).
I. Policy
Correctional Health Services staff shall complete a health scre ening procedure on each
arrestee at the time of booking in accordance with Article 11, Section 1207 of the
California Code of Regulations, Title 15. Any person not deeme d medically fit for
incarceration will not be accepted.
II. Intake Medical Receiving Screening
A. At the time of intake a medical receiving screening shall be performed by
health personnel for all new inmates, including transfers, and documented
on the appropriate forms.
B. This screening shall be comple ted in accordance with written procedures
and shall include but not be lim ited to medical and mental heal th problems,
developmental disabilities, tuber culosis and other communicable diseases.
Medical staff shall, in coordi nation with Jail Psychiatric Serv ices, complete
a valuation of the inmate’s mental health.
C. If during the intake medical receiving screening process an inmates found
to be in need of immediate medi cal attention, the inmate shall be promptly
referred for emergency care.
1. If referred to an outside medi cal facility, a written medica l clearance
shall be obtained prior to acceptance into a facility as descri bed in
section III of this order.
2. Inmates accepted for custody and deemed to be a “Medical
Expedite” shall be processed through the booking process within two
hours. A “Medical Expedite” form shall be initiated by medical staff
and completed by custody staff when the inmate is escorted to t he
medical housing area.
a. Inmates to be cited and released pursuant to Penal Code
853.6 may be exceptions to this procedure.
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES Page 2 of 2 10/04 (REV 6/19)
MJ/RCCC D. If the arresting/transporting officer finds medication in th e inmate’s
possession, he/she should presen t the medication to the intake nurse.
1. Medical staff will note the dosage and return the medication to the
arresting/transporting officer.
2. If medically required, medical staff will retrieve medicatio n which is a
medical equivalent to that taken by the arrested person, and pa ckage
it for dispensing to the inmate at scheduled pill call in accor dance
with Operations Order 10-08 Medication Distribution.
E. If an inmate is prescribed medication, medical staff shall i nquire further
detail of the inmate’s medicati on needs during the medical scre ening. An
ambulatory subject who requires but has refused medical attenti on may be
booked at the discretion of medica l staff. Medical staff shall verify with the
subject that he/she refuses medi cal treatment, and shall note t he refusal.
F. In situations where the arre stee is unable or refuses to res pond to the
receiving screening questions, h ealth personnel shall visually examine the
subject for obvious or noticeable medical problems. If the sub ject is
accepted for incarceration, the form shall be completed at a la ter time when
the subject becomes cooperative or communicative.
G. Paraplegic arrestees and those who must use crutches or orth opedic
appliances, but who are otherwise fit, shall be accepted for in carceration.
III. Procedures for Unfit for Incarceration
A. Correctional Health Service s staff shall not accept for book ing any arrestee
who is unconscious, unable to walk without the aid of another p erson or in
need of obvious medical attention.
B. If an inmate is deemed unfit for incarceration at the time o f intake, the
arresting/transporting officer/ag ency is responsible for transp ort or
providing appropriate staff in t he event an ambulance is summon ed.
C. Upon return, the inmate shall not be accepted for incarcerat ion unless the
arresting/transporting officer pr ovides documentation from an e xamining
physician certifying the subjec t is fit for incarceration and the previously unfit
condition must be rendered appropriate for the level of care pr ovided at the
jail as determined by health care staff.
Appendices: None
Related Orders: Operations Order 10/08, M edication Distribution
References: Penal Code 4015; Title 15 , Article 11, Section 1207