401.06.03.067 (ISCC FM) Offender Hunger Strikes

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This document was approved by Jay Christensen, Warden of ISCC on 02/26/2020
Purpose
The purpose of this field memorandum is to provide specific guidelines that are unique to this facility in order to fully implement standard operating procedure401.06.03.067.
General Statement
This field memorandum is subject to revision at the discretion of the warden of this facility, chief of the Operations Division (or designee), or director of the Idaho Department of
Correction. Any one of these persons may revise, suspend, or rescind any procedural steps, at any time, at hissole discretion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS1. Immediate Action12. Initial Referral Requirements23. Action subsequent to Referral24. Forced Feeding35. Other Actions3References4
IMMEDIATE ACTION When an offender indicates intent to initiate an individual hunger strike, or when staff determine that an offender has not had anything to eat or drink for a period
of 72 hours, the shift commander will:
Interview the offender as soon as possible
Attempt to determine the reason(s) for the hunger strike
Attempt to resolve the problem through counseling
Immediately notify the warden verbally and in writing, and request a medical assessment
Complete a 105 report
Maintain contact with the offender once every 24 hours for the duration of the refusal period and fully document those contacts
The unit officers will maintain a log on the offender and this log will be placed on the outside of the offender’s cell to accurately record the following:
Food offered
Food accepted or refused
Liquids consumed (if observed)
Tier checks, to include offender activity
Staff checks
Visitors (attorney, family, etc.)
Medical attention
Showers taken or refused
Exercise taken or refused
Any other issues concerning the offender
Weekly inventory of commissary foods
Upon notification by the unit team, the facility health authority, medical authority or designee will: Provide a medical assessment of the offenderInstitute daily monitoring for the
duration of the hunger strikeDocument contact with the offender and record the findingsMake written recommendations to the warden as appropriate
If the offender refuses to permit the medical assessment, the facility health authority or designee will record that the assessment was offered and refused by the offender.
A record will be maintained to reflect medical attention/treatment offered and the assessment/treatment refused during the claimed hunger strike.
The facility health authority will advise the offender that, at a minimum, the offender’s weight must be recorded. If the offender does not cooperate in this process, the warden may
authorize a planned use of force in accordance with the SOP 307.02.01.001 Use of Force.
The facility health authority or designee will supervise the procedure to ensure it is performed according to policy.
No other assessment procedures will be performed over the offender’s objections until, in the judgment of the physician, it is determined that due to the length of time the offender
has claimed to have been on the hunger strike, or because observations of the offender’s condition indicate the offender is in, or approaching, a life threatening stage.
Once the physician has made this determination, medical assessment and medical treatment may be conducted.
INITIAL REFERRAL REQUIREMENTS
Upon initial referral of an offender on a hunger strike to the facility health authority, the following actions will be taken:Measure and record height and weightRecord vital signsUrinalysisComplete
blood counts, sedimentation rate and blood chemistry as deemed necessaryGeneral medical evaluation
ACTION SUBSEQUENT TO INITIAL REFERRAL
The facility health authority or designee will record the offender’s weight and vital signs every 24 hours. Other tests may be ordered at the discretion of the medical authority.
When valid medical reasons exist, the facility health authority, at the request of the medical authority, may modify the offender’s facility housing to the infirmary for observation,
or order the offender admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
Complete documentation of all medical decisions and actions will be recorded in the appropriate area of the medical file.
Meals will be offered to the offender three (3) times a day and a supply of drinking water will be available. The refusal of each meal will be recorded in the daily unit log.
After consultation with medical staff, the warden has the authority under this memorandum to:Retain the offender in his current housing unitImmediately transfer the offender to another
unit within the institutionTransfer the offender to a contract hospital
FORCED FEEDING
When required by medical necessity, the facility health authority will order appropriate treatment administered without the consent of the offender.
When the medical authority makes the decision to force feed, SOP 401.06.03.067 Involuntary Treatment and Medication, will be followed unless emergency intervention is required.
Prior to medical treatment being administered against an offender’s will, staff will make a reasonable effort to convince the offender to voluntarily accept treatment.
The warden will be notified prior to the forced feeding of an offender, unless a medical emergency necessitates immediate treatment.
The initial forced feeding will be videotaped.
In the event a medical emergency necessitates immediate treatment, the warden will be notified at the conclusion of the treatment action or as soon as possible.
The warden will immediately notify the chief of prisons of this action.
OTHER ACTIONS
The warden, upon advice of the facility health authority, medical authority or designee, may order an offender released from hunger strike evaluation and treatment status. This order

will be recorded in the offender’s medical file.
Media contacts concerning an offender’s hunger strike status will be limited to the warden, the department’s public information officer or designee.
REFERENCES
SOP 307.02.01.001 Use of Force
SOP 401.06.03.067 Involuntary Treatment and Medication
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