https://www.kcur.org/tags/prison-healthcare prison healthcare en-US KCUR 89.3 Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2026-03-16/stuck-in-missouri-jails-waiting-for-mental-health-help More and more Missourians are waiting in jail for services from the state’s mental health department, which has a backlog of more than 500 people with stalled cases. Hear what mental health directors are telling state lawmakers. Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2026-03-16/stuck-in-missouri-jails-waiting-for-mental-health-help Brian Ellison, Byron J. Love https://www.kcur.org/health/2026-03-12/why-missouri-prisons-can-be-deadly-for-people-with-opioid-addictions In a prison system rife with drugs, a new civil rights lawsuit accuses the Missouri Department of Corrections of punishing people for addiction, rather than treating it. Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/health/2026-03-12/why-missouri-prisons-can-be-deadly-for-people-with-opioid-addictions Ivy Scott https://www.kcur.org/health/2026-01-30/missouris-prison-population-is-at-a-20-year-low-but-prison-deaths-have-never-been-higher The “mortality” of Missouri prisoners is not a performance standard for the state’s health care contractor, the MDOC director said this month. Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:27:27 GMT https://www.kcur.org/health/2026-01-30/missouris-prison-population-is-at-a-20-year-low-but-prison-deaths-have-never-been-higher Danny Wicentowski https://www.kcur.org/news/2026-01-11/judge-sanctions-missouri-prisons-in-inmate-wrongful-death-case-for-deliberate-disregard-of-orders A judge wrote that the Missouri attorney general’s office “repeatedly offered excuses ranging from secretarial blame to Dropbox malfunctions and staffing issues" and failed to meet multiple court deadlines. The lawsuit was filed by the mother of 27-year-old Jahi Hynes, who died by suicide in a Missouri prison. Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/news/2026-01-11/judge-sanctions-missouri-prisons-in-inmate-wrongful-death-case-for-deliberate-disregard-of-orders Rudi Keller https://www.kcur.org/health/2025-12-09/missouri-nurses-prison-staff-shortages-centurion-health Current and former employees at Jefferson City Correctional Center say the nursing shortage is causing unrest. They blame the state's contractor, Centurion Health. Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/health/2025-12-09/missouri-nurses-prison-staff-shortages-centurion-health Katie Moore https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-11-21/missouri-prison-deaths-data For years, the Missouri Department of Corrections cobbled together death records from multiple sources. New data reveals, for the first time, that hundreds of people died in state prisons between 2018 to 2024. Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-11-21/missouri-prison-deaths-data Ivy Scott https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2025-08-28/missouri-kept-a-trans-prisoner-in-solitary-for-2-000-days A Black transgender woman sued the Missouri Department of Corrections, claiming officers kept her isolated for six years based on a policy that singles out people with HIV. Missouri is now changing its policy as a result of that settlement. Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2025-08-28/missouri-kept-a-trans-prisoner-in-solitary-for-2-000-days Madeline Fox, Byron J. Love https://www.kcur.org/2025-06-10/a-nebraska-prison-nursery-keeps-moms-and-babies-together-but-is-there-a-better-way Mother-baby bonding is crucial to a child’s development and leads to decreased recidivism rates, according to research. But prison nurseries aren't the ideal place to grow up. In Nebraska, the nurseries are rarely used. Tue, 10 Jun 2025 16:43:42 GMT https://www.kcur.org/2025-06-10/a-nebraska-prison-nursery-keeps-moms-and-babies-together-but-is-there-a-better-way Maddie Ames https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-05-13/missouri-prison-excessive-heat-algoa-correctional-center The lawsuit filed by the MacArthur Justice Center says that in the summer, the lack of air conditioning or heat solutions at Missouri's Algoa Correctional Center violate the constitutional rights of people detained there. Tue, 13 May 2025 09:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-05-13/missouri-prison-excessive-heat-algoa-correctional-center Rachel Lippmann https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-01-23/missouri-lawmakers-push-for-oversight-panel-to-monitor-conditions-in-state-prisons A bipartisan group of Missouri lawmakers wants more oversight over the prison system — as deaths in custody reach their highest level in state history, and watchdogs warn of drugs behind bars. Thu, 23 Jan 2025 10:00:00 GMT https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-01-23/missouri-lawmakers-push-for-oversight-panel-to-monitor-conditions-in-state-prisons Rudi Keller