Replace Wellpath at Santa Rita Jail!

Pastor Brian K. Woodson, Sr., addresses the Board.

A successful campaign to present urgent concerns about poor medical care in Alameda County Jail was led by The Stop Deaths and Harm group, an offshoot of the Interfaith Coalition for Justice in our Jails. Our concerns were voiced on March 27, 2025, at the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee meeting chaired by Supervisor Marquez, with Supervisor Miley attending.

Wellpath has been the medical care provider in Santa Rita jail since 2016. The company is owned by a global investment firm and provides healthcare in 34 of California’s 56 county jails, as well as other jails and prisons across the country.  Over 1500 lawsuits have been filed nationwide against Wellpath, and the company’s recent bankruptcy filing will prevent affected families from receiving justice.

Every report card on Wellpath’s care at Santa Rita has come back with devastatingly low marks. Perhaps most egregious was the death of Maurice Monk, who in 2021 lay dying for three days in Santa Rita Jail before a Wellpath nurse and Sheriff’s deputies recognized his death. Three days of prescription medication and food had been thrown through the slot of his door and accumulated on the floor of Mr. Monk’s cell. Alameda County was sued by the family, and the County settled the case for $7 million.  Wellpath has not settled.

Over the past several months, we have met with Supervisor Marquez’s staff and secured the March 27th Public Protection committee meeting to present our opposition to Wellpath. Both Supervisor Marquez, who has been supportive throughout this process, and Supervisor Miley stated that they will support the Board of Supervisors taking action to explore alternatives to Wellpath. Their contract is up in 2027, and it is important to start the lengthy process of exploring alternatives.

One alternative is to develop a robust Request for Proposals process to receive bids from multiple healthcare providers bidding on providing well-defined levels of care. Another alternative is for the county to provide the services directly. This is already being done successfully at local jails in San Francisco, Santa Clara, Marin, and Contra Costa Counties.

Supervisor Miley stated on the record that he supports ending the contract with Wellpath and finding an alternative.

Over 30 advocates and concerned residents spoke at the Public Protection meeting. None who spoke was more passionate than Elvira Monk, Maurice Monk’s sister: “I feel Wellpath needs to leave,” Monk said, choking back tears as she spoke. “I called up there multiple times trying to get his prescribed medication into his body. And they kept giving me a runaround.”

The Stop Deaths and Harm Group includes representatives of the American Friends Service Committee, Families Advocating for the Seriously Mentally Ill (FASMI), the Interfaith Coalition for Justice in our Jails, and other individuals.

The next step will be a joint Public Health and Public Protection meeting currently set for 2 p.m. on May 16th, where the Stop Deaths and Harm Group will push for a resolution to explore alternatives to Wellpath to be presented to the entire Board of Supervisors.

If you are interested in providing public comments on May 16th, either in person or online, please let Micky Duxbury know: mickydux612@gmail.com.