Alaska says NO to Ron Book Client, Wellpath (F/K/A Correct Care Solutions)

You have to suspect something is fishy about a company when they have to undergo multiple name changes over the years. One industry’s main players have undergone multiple name changes over the years; the private prison industry. Geo Group was formerly G4S, which was formerly Wackenhut. And Wellpath, the subject of this post, was until very recently Correct Care Solutions.

Not so coincidentally, after a series of recent scandals and tragedies (see: New Broward jail healthcare provider has grim history of lawsuits, deaths, or Controversies swirl as Westchester County Jail considers new health care provider or Augusta jail care provider named in 1,300 lawsuits or New Orleans jail’s often-criticized heath care provider has deal extended by Mayor Cantrell or Lawsuit alleges negligence toward mentally ill inmates) Correct Care Solutions, a client of lobbyist Ron Book, changed its name to Wellpath.

You would wonder how a contractor plagued with wrongful deaths and human rights violations and is the subject of so many lawsuits would continue to be awarded government contracts. We wonder too… fishy, right?

Could it be that GEO and CCS have some strong political ties and make some very hefty political contributions? Two days ago, the Nation published an article, “How Private Equity is Turning Public Prisons Into Big Profits“. The industry is disgusting and what’s more disgusting are the politicians who turn a blind eye to the inhumanity that is taking place at the hands of these businesses in order to line their own pockets.

Recently some people in Alaska took notice. After awarding a contract to operate the Alaska Psychiatric Institute to Wellpath without a competitive bidding process, state Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, “questioned whether the state broke procurement rules by awarding the long-term to Wellpath without soliciting other bids. Spohnholz and other lawmakers also asked why the state didn’t consider local providers for the job. Some asserted that Wellpath, a private equity firm-owned company known for running psychiatric institutions, sex offender lockups and other detention centers for state and local governments, was an inappropriate choice to operate API.” The unions also questioned why they would not use local labor instead of outsourcing to a private company and especially without putting the contract up for bids or doing any study to determine whether privatization would have any benefit to the state… fishy, right?

The good news is Alaska cancelled the contract. In other good news, after pressure from students, faculty, and alumni, of Florida Atlantic University, the GEO Group’s 6 million dollar donation, which was supposed to give them naming rights to FAU’s football stadium, was rejected. Those at the school did not want to be associated with a company that profits off the torture of others. (See: FAU drops GEO Group stadium deal amid controversy: Say bye to Owlcatraz)

We’ve written about the private prison industry before and it’s absolutely incredible how, in a civilized society, these businesses are allowed to exist.