New National Study Puts Private Jail Healthcare in the Spotlight
FRANKLIN, TN, UNITED STATES, August 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Jail deaths and treatment delays in Texas and California are renewing attention on healthcare inside county jails.
This month in Bexar County, Texas, officials approved earlier medical screenings following reports that 92 people have died at the jail since 2020[1], with county data showing that 39 deaths occurred within seven days of booking.[2] In Los Angeles County, 46 people died in custody in 2025, while recent reporting found that some people waited weeks or months to receive medication-assisted treatment.[3]
As county leaders confront these outcomes, new research is providing another measure for evaluating how jail healthcare is delivered. A nationwide study published in the Journal of Correctional Health Care, the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), found that private correctional healthcare models showed lower average mortality rates than county-managed systems. The study examined jail mortality and healthcare provider data from 287 counties across 43 states between 2019 and 2024.[4]
“County leaders should be asking a simple but critical question: what model is better positioned to help people in their custody receive timely and effective care?” said Jessica Young, President and CEO of Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. (ACH). “The focus should not be on whether healthcare is public or private. The focus should be on appropriate care and saving lives.”
Researchers found that specialized healthcare providers can offer clinical infrastructure, staffing resources, and coordination that may be difficult for individual counties to maintain. They also called for stronger benchmarking and clearer definitions for reporting correctional deaths, giving county leaders another reason to examine their healthcare delivery models through the lens of measurable outcomes.[4]
For a closer look at the study and what it may mean for the future of correctional healthcare, read Special Report: New Data Shows Private Jail Healthcare May Save Lives.
About Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc.:
Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. is a family-owned, values-led, contract management company that offers ethical, comprehensive services tailored to populations nationwide. ACH has been awarded two Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics, honored at Music City's Community Choice Awards for having the Best Employee Recognition Program, and named “Best Hospital & Health Care Business of the Year” in the Global 100 Awards for 2025 and 2026. In 2026, ACH was also certified as a Great Place to Work for the 11th consecutive year. In 2025, ACH saved over $16.8 million in taxpayer dollars through bill scrubbing. From 2020 to 2025, over 102% of contracted nursing hours were met nationwide, and more than 131 patient lives were saved. Learn more at advancedch.com.
Sources:
[1] Pink, Saul. “Bexar County plans earlier medical screenings at jail in response to deaths.” San Antonio Express-News, Aug. 4, 2026.
[2] Medel, Diego. “Bexar County advances jail reforms with earlier medical screenings, new public dashboard.” San Antonio Report, Aug. 10, 2026.
[3] Quinton, Gavin J. “Overdoses in L.A. jails are fueled by long waits for drug addiction treatment, staffers say.” Los Angeles Times, June 19, 2026.
[4] Harris, Liz, and William Dennis. “Limits of Correctional Health Reporting: Findings From a Nationwide Jail Mortality Survey (2019–2024).” Journal of Correctional Health Care, 32(4), 240–246, 2026. doi:10.1177/10783458261425158.
This month in Bexar County, Texas, officials approved earlier medical screenings following reports that 92 people have died at the jail since 2020[1], with county data showing that 39 deaths occurred within seven days of booking.[2] In Los Angeles County, 46 people died in custody in 2025, while recent reporting found that some people waited weeks or months to receive medication-assisted treatment.[3]
As county leaders confront these outcomes, new research is providing another measure for evaluating how jail healthcare is delivered. A nationwide study published in the Journal of Correctional Health Care, the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), found that private correctional healthcare models showed lower average mortality rates than county-managed systems. The study examined jail mortality and healthcare provider data from 287 counties across 43 states between 2019 and 2024.[4]
“County leaders should be asking a simple but critical question: what model is better positioned to help people in their custody receive timely and effective care?” said Jessica Young, President and CEO of Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. (ACH). “The focus should not be on whether healthcare is public or private. The focus should be on appropriate care and saving lives.”
Researchers found that specialized healthcare providers can offer clinical infrastructure, staffing resources, and coordination that may be difficult for individual counties to maintain. They also called for stronger benchmarking and clearer definitions for reporting correctional deaths, giving county leaders another reason to examine their healthcare delivery models through the lens of measurable outcomes.[4]
For a closer look at the study and what it may mean for the future of correctional healthcare, read Special Report: New Data Shows Private Jail Healthcare May Save Lives.
About Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc.:
Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. is a family-owned, values-led, contract management company that offers ethical, comprehensive services tailored to populations nationwide. ACH has been awarded two Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics, honored at Music City's Community Choice Awards for having the Best Employee Recognition Program, and named “Best Hospital & Health Care Business of the Year” in the Global 100 Awards for 2025 and 2026. In 2026, ACH was also certified as a Great Place to Work for the 11th consecutive year. In 2025, ACH saved over $16.8 million in taxpayer dollars through bill scrubbing. From 2020 to 2025, over 102% of contracted nursing hours were met nationwide, and more than 131 patient lives were saved. Learn more at advancedch.com.
Sources:
[1] Pink, Saul. “Bexar County plans earlier medical screenings at jail in response to deaths.” San Antonio Express-News, Aug. 4, 2026.
[2] Medel, Diego. “Bexar County advances jail reforms with earlier medical screenings, new public dashboard.” San Antonio Report, Aug. 10, 2026.
[3] Quinton, Gavin J. “Overdoses in L.A. jails are fueled by long waits for drug addiction treatment, staffers say.” Los Angeles Times, June 19, 2026.
[4] Harris, Liz, and William Dennis. “Limits of Correctional Health Reporting: Findings From a Nationwide Jail Mortality Survey (2019–2024).” Journal of Correctional Health Care, 32(4), 240–246, 2026. doi:10.1177/10783458261425158.
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