Working with Women Inside

Individual Direct Advocacy

As part of our efforts to challenge and change to health care provided women prisoners, LSPC continues to conduct monthly visits to both the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) and Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW). Women seek our advocacy assistance regarding a wide range of issues including abusive conditions in the prison’s Skilled Nursing Facility, mistreatment of elderly and disabled women who are often forced to work in appropriate to their health status, assisting clients gain access to specialty medical care, and challenging abusive medical and custody staff.

Diabetes Campaign

During the Spring on 2003, the Central California Women’s Facility implemented a new policy that required all insulin dependent diabetic women to live in the same housing unit. Our clients reported to us that this policy discriminated against them on the basis of their health status. The prison claimed the new policy would allow for increased monitoring and treatment of insulin dependent diabetic prisoners. However, women told a different story and said the rule change meant they often received their insulin shots at different times a day, were frequently unable to make morning “chow” because of long pill lines, and were denied access to regular prison programs and services. LSPC responded to our clients concerns by mobilizing with other advocacy organizations to put pressure on CDC officials to end this policy, assisted our clients in submitting grievances, and worked with the American Diabetes Association to formulate appropriate demands regarding a standard of care for the treatment of diabetes in prison. In the Fall of 2004, the CDC ended this policy and returned all insulin dependent diabetic women back to their original housing units.

Pat Search Campaign