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Tour Our Facilities - El Paso


The Service Processing Center (SPC) is located on approximately 27 acres of land near the center of town. When the facility first opened in 1989, the medical team consisted of 4 staff members and the average daily census was 300 detainees. Today the medical team consists of 29 full time employees including Commissioned Officers, civil service and contract employees serving a population of 800 detainees. There is also a dental clinic, teleradiology unit, and a nine-bed short-stay unit. 

El Paso is especially proud of its teleradiology unit. As part of the facility´s state-of-the-art tuberculosis (TB) screening system, El Paso uses teleradiology to screen new arrivals for TB. Previously, it took a facility up to 5 days to determine if a detainee was infected with TB. We now have this information within 4 hours.

Full ambulatory care services are provided from 0730 to 1630 Monday through Friday. Nursing staff is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to medically screen new arrivals, provide primary care as needed and respond to emergencies. The clinic is fully accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), the American Correctional Association (ACA) and has received accreditation with commendation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

An average of 110 detainees are seen in the clinic daily. In addition to addressing the daily non-emergency needs (sick call) of the detainees, individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension are followed regularly at chronic disease clinics. Detainees requiring a level of care not available on site are referred to local health care providers. Detainees are received from numerous sources, including transfers from other SPCs, county jails, federal prisons and Border Patrol missions. 

Health education is a major component of the medical program and is provided through video, written literature and individual counseling of patients. Tuberculosis screening and prophylaxis is carried out both on site and in conjunction with a number of community facilities. The patient population consists mainly of healthy adults. Services are also provided to residents of a juvenile shelter which houses approximately 48 individuals. 

El Paso is a medium security facility. There are approximately 24,000 clinic visits annually. The average length of stay is 28 days. The facility averages 250 removals per month, 10 releases to the community and 40 releases on bond. Detainees come from all over the world, with the majority coming from Mexico and Central America, areas identified with a high prevalence of infectious disease. Screening is performed on arrival and control measures may be implemented by the `Doctors at the Gate´ to prevent the entrance of communicable diseases into this country.

The Medical Facility staff is committed to working together with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention and Deportation Program personnel in order to carry out its mission of providing high quality health care services which meet community standards. 

El Paso, one of America´s oldest cities, is rich in multicultural and historical significance. Over 400 years ago Spanish explorers found their way through the `Pass Through the River of the North´ into America. This unique border city has had its fair share of outlaws, Indian wars and Pancho Villa and his band of revolutionaries. El Paso is also the birthplace of the Texas Rangers and the US Cavalry. El Paso boasts the oldest library in Texas and hosts the oldest continuous symphony orchestra in the state. Across the Rio Grande is the sister city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with which El Paso shares friendship and harmony. El Paso county covers 1,058 square miles and the city population is 650,000. Nearby attractions include White Sands National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns. El Paso is often referred to as Sun City. It boasts a high desert climate and stands at the foot of the Franklin Mountains.

Contact

DIHS Recruitment/ Retention Office
877-353-9834
email: DIHS.recruitment@dhs.gov

  

  

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