Bernalillo County moves to end UNMH jail care deal after audit flags staffing gaps
Federal monitor reports found chronic delays and leadership issues at the Metropolitan Detention Center, leading to a new hybrid oversight model.
By Alina Marshall ·
Bernalillo County commissioners voted on Oct. 27 to shift jail healthcare to a hybrid model. Under this plan, the county will act as the overseeing authority while hiring a main contractor and specialty subcontractors. No decisions have been made regarding which companies will fill those roles.
The University of New Mexico Hospital will continue providing services at the Metropolitan Detention Center until July 1. UNMH took over the contract in 2023 after two for-profit providers exited amid a rising death toll among inmates.
A federal audit conducted in April identified recurring problems that likely contributed to the non-renewal of the four-year contract. Dr. Muthusamy Anandkumar, the federal monitor for the McClendon settlement, cited leadership turnover, staffing struggles, and service gaps. The audit noted that the healthcare program functioned ineffectively in key areas due to inefficient workflows and inadequate supervision.
The report detailed specific operational failures between January and April. UNMH responded to 536 medical emergencies, 35 suicide deaths or attempts, and eight Code Blue incidents during that period. Anandkumar wrote that urgent requests were often marked as routine, causing patients with serious conditions to wait longer than clinically appropriate. The Rapid Response Team served as a compensatory safety net for these delays.
Intake processes also lagged behind federal requirements. The average time to complete a history and physical examination increased from nine days in October 2025 to 15 days in March. The facility failed to meet the standard of completing these exams within 72 hours for inmates with serious needs and within 14 days for others. Sick-call processes were described as unreliable, with routine referrals taking 35 days in 2026.
UNMH spokesperson Chris Ramirez said the facility has made improvements since the audit. He stated that the average intake exam time dropped to just over five days in October. Ramirez attributed these gains to better daytime nurse staffing and daily reviews of outstanding sick calls. He projected that all provider positions would be filled by February.
The full audit report has remained sealed in federal court for months. A county attorney told a judge on Oct. 13 that it is difficult to identify exactly which parts of the report are confidential. The judge ordered a joint status report by Nov. 20. McClendon attorney Kate Loewe argued the report should be public, citing 10 inmate deaths in 2026, which ties the record high from 2023.
