Clinical Services

In 2012, the Office of Clinical Services began operating under the leadership of the Director of Clinical Services. This office combines the oversight of medical, dental, pharmacy, mental health and substance use programming for over 20,000 offenders for a model of care that promotes a "whole patient" approach to providing health care services. Upon intake into our system, all offenders receive extensive medical, mental health, substance use and dental screening and testing to identify their health status and treatment needs.

It is the goal of the Office of Clinical Services to provide the required constitutional level of health and mental health care in the most efficient, cost effective manner possible to the Tennessee Department of Correction's offenders. The department remains vigilant in delivering care as ethically, effectively and efficiently as possible while maintaining its attentiveness to the public health responsibilities inherent in a correctional population. Clinical Services will continue its commitment to managing an increasing number of physically and mentally ill offenders efficiently with medical and ethical integrity.

Support Functions of Clinical Services:

• Develop Policy & Procedures
• Quality Assurance Monitoring
  • Conduct Medical Contract Monitoring
  • Conduct Mental Health Contract Monitoring
  • Conduct Pharmacy Contract Monitoring
  • Develop Education Initiatives to Constantly Improve Processes
• Investigate Inmate Correspondence/Grievances
• Sex Offender Treatment Board
• Utilization Management
• Clinical Recruitment/Retention
• Infection Control
• Oversee Quality Improvement/Risk Management:
  • Mortality Review
  • Provider Credentialing
  • Peer Review
  • Pharmaceutical Management