National Nurses United

4 N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G O C T O B E R | N O V E M B E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 MINNESOTA O n nov. 5, Minnesota Nurses Association members joined community members and part- ners to stand in solidarity with Be Their Voices at a rally against MEnD Health Care. Attendees, including repre- sentatives from Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB), Black Lives Matter, 612 MASH, the Minnesota Nurses Association, and the NAACP Duluth and St. Cloud chapters, spoke out to demand the state of Minnesota recon- sider its contracts with MEnD Health Care. Community members further demanded that the Minnesota Board of Medical Prac- tice hold Dr. Todd Leonard and other providers under MEnD Health Care accountable for their actions. MEnD Health Care is a private provider of health care services to county jail systems, with a troubling history of patient adverse events and death in multiple Minnesota counties. MEnD has also failed to disclose past lawsuits during the contract bidding process, had staff licenses suspended by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, and is under investigation by the FBI. In 2018, Hardel Sherrell died in his cell at Beltrami County Jail after repeatedly ask- ing for medical attention. Sherrell had Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), an autoim- mune disorder, which caused him to become paralyzed while in his cell. Several health care providers under MEnD Health Care saw Sherrell, but did not treat his condition. He died as a result. After the death of her son, Sherrell's mother, Del Shea Perry, founded Be Their Voices, a nonprofit organization that advo- cates for those incarcerated or who were once incarcerated and were neglected, abused, or murdered while incarcerated in Minnesota jails. MNA members Mable Fale, RN, and Jeanette Rupert, RN, as well as MNA Exec- utive Director Rose Roach, attended the rally. Fale and Rupert both spoke, urging the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice to sus- pend Dr. Todd Leonard's license and for the state of Minnesota to reconsider its con- tracts with MEnD Health Care at all Minnesota facilities. "This happened in 2018," began Mable Fale, RN, "and [Miss Del Shea] has not had the opportunity to grieve at all because she has not stopped fighting. Because she's not just fighting for her son, she is fighting for justice for every individual who has not just died—55 individuals have died—but we don't know all those who have been harmed, we don't know those who have all the adverse effects, who don't have health care now." "And that is why our union, when we heard about this—sadly three years after- wards—had no problem supporting them formally," Fale continued. "Because we're not just going to stand in the background and give our condolences. We are going to stand in solidarity with Miss Del Shea, with every community member, because this is some- thing that needs to end." Jeanette Rupert, RN, also spoke, saying, "MEnD needs to be held accountable. This physician has to be held accountable …This inmate's life mattered. I don't care what they've done. Their lives matter. We have a duty and a responsibility to treat human life with respect. That physician took an oath to do no harm. In my opinion, harm was done." The MNA board of directors also sent a letter this past April in support of the recon- sideration of the contract with MEnD Health Care. "It is our advocacy for patient safety and care that compels us to write to you today to encourage you to reconsider your contract with MEnD Health Care," the letter said. "As members of the health care team, we know the need for, and believe in the right for, all patients to receive quality care." —Lauren Nielsen NEWS BRIEFS MNA nurses and allies call on state to end contract with jail health services contractor MEnD Health Care has disturbing track record

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