Utah Department of Corrections

Both USP and CUCF are operating on a modified lockdown, meaning that out-of-cell time may be greatly limited in areas most impacted by the outbreaks.

The Department continues to collaborate closely with state and local health officials on movement and testing, which includes separating negative cases from positive cases.   

Many things have to be considered when moving an incarcerated individual, including COVID-19 protocols. We continue to work closely with state and local health officials, but our staff have to also consider other criteria for movement of an incarcerated individual including documented safety concerns, gang affiliations, ADA accommodations and other medical conditions unrelated to COVID-19.

The Department provides on-site medical care through the Clinical Services Bureau, which operates infirmaries at both the Utah State Prison and the Central Utah Correctional Facility. The infirmaries offer comprehensive, on-site medical care where medical staff can treat or stabilize inmates needing health care. Mental health services are also available to incarcerated individuals as needed.

The Bureau also contracts with outside hospitals and clinics for treatment of seriously ill inmates who cannot be properly cared for at an infirmary or require evaluation or care from a specialist.

Any incarcerated individual who exhibits symptoms outside the resources of our medical providers will receive care at a nearby hospital.

Our medical staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In areas of an outbreak our medical staff have an active presence on those units at least twice a day to check-in with incarcerated individuals. 

In areas like Oquirrh 5 where there are individuals who are already medically compromised (outside of COVID-19), we have standardly had a greater medical presence who actively monitor these individuals. 

Any incarcerated individual that communicates any discomfort will be given access to medications required or any other treatment required.

There are also active cases of COVID-19 at several community correctional centers: three offenders at Atherton Community Treatment Center, one offender at Bonneville Community Correctional Center, eight offenders at Fortitude Treatment Center, and five offenders at the Northern Utah Community Correctional Center.

We truly appreciate the continued patience of family members while we work through this situation.

As a reminder, the only way to share an incarcerated individual's medical information with a family member is through an Authorization to Formally Discuss Health Information Form. We've encouraged all incarcerated individuals to fill out this form through direct messaging a couple weeks ago, and will continue to promote that information in the coming days.

We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.

If you would like to learn more about quarantine and isolation procedures, we would encourage you to review this document: https://corrections.utah.gov/images/Inmate_handout_full_0407_1.pdf

To learn more about the CDC recommendations that the UDC is currently following and exceeding (along with following local health officials recommendations) please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/correction-detention/guidance-correctional-detention.html

If you have additional questions, please contact the Department’s communications director, Kaitlin Felsted at 801-560-7608 or corrections@utah.gov. Please expect that your call may go to voicemail, but we will get back to you as soon as we possibly can.

Visiting to remain suspended:

At this time, visiting (along with volunteer and religious services) will continue to remain on hold through December 1, at which time we will again reevaluate. We will continue to offer 10 free 15 minute phone calls per week.