By Emerson Drake
3/12/10
n April, 2009, Correct Care Solutions (based in Tennessee) was awarded the contract to provide health care services to the Stanislaus County Jail, Honor Farm and Safety Center. California Forensics Medical Group held this contract for over 20 years. During that time the county requested bids 2 or 3 times.
Each time the contract was again awarded to CFMG. We can assume this was done because they were the best company for the job. . They also hold contracts with 24 other counties in California, with whom they maintain successful working relationships.
One has to wonder why that long-term relationship with Stanislaus County fell apart when Sheriff Adam Christianson took office.After speaking with a high ranking member of CFMG, it has come to light that there are specific reasons why the relationship changed.
According to information received by the Voice of Modesto, Sheriff Christianson “set them up to fail” by refusing to place any of their employees at the jail or honor farm.
These employees had all been cleared by CFMG. For over 20 years, the county would place any employee cleared by CFMG, but once Sheriff Christianson was in office, those clearances were automatically rejected. CFMG asked to meet with Sheriff Christianson to discuss these problems, but he repeatedly refused such meetings.
After continued requests, he finally met with representatives of CFMG, but was very abrasive and arrogant during the meeting and unwilling to discuss the problem.
During the time of CFMG’s contract, Dr. Taylor Fithian, (who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Board Eligible in Emergency Medicine), was in charge of training deputies on how to recognize signs of psychological disturbances.
During one of these training sessions, Sheriff Christianson entered the room, took the microphone from Dr. Taylor, and announced that “I’m taking over now.”
Rather than talking about recognizing warning signs of mental problems, he proceeded to inform the deputies that we would soon be having veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
He indicated that he believed veterans would normally make good deputies, but if a veteran had a tattoo, they would not be hired.I think we all agree that we owe our veterans our gratitude in risking their lives to defend our freedoms.
It is heart-breaking to think that they will be denied employment in Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department if they happen to come home from the war with a tattoo.
How does a tattoo effect one’s ability to be a good deputy? CFMG said that in previous years they would tell people that Stanislaus County had the best sheriff’s department in the state.
They indicated that they would now rank it as the worst.Sheriff Christianson has publicly regaled friends with the tale of having failed the psychological evaluation three times, has said that he was only hired as a deputy, because Les Weidman (Sheriff at that time) pushed through his hire. This emphasizes his arrogance, despite the fact that it displays his own shortcomings.
In light of the many sexual harassment and discrimination complaints filed against the Sheriff’s Department, it is interesting to find out that he failed the psych evaluation multiple times.
How concerned should the citizens of Modesto be to have the Sheriff’s Department led by a man who may not be psychologically sound? Should we be concerned about the many times he has approved someone to carry a concealed weapon?
Should we be concerned about the interview process for female employees who are asked very inappropriate questions?
Should we be concerned about the way minorities and women are treated at the Sheriff’s Department and the jail?
Additionally, why was an out-of-state company given this contract when California is experiencing some of the nations’ highest unemployment rates?
The investigative arm of the Voice of Modesto is continuing to explore this avenue.
The Board of Supervisors has been sent a copy of our findings and we hope and expect they will make their own inquiry.
