North Carolina § 153A-224 - Supervision of local confinement facilities.

§ 153A-224. Supervision of local confinement facilities.

No person may be confined in a local confinement facility unless custodial personnel are present and available to provide continuous supervision in order that custody will be secure and that, in event of emergency, such as fire, illness, assaults by other prisoners, or otherwise, the prisoners can be protected. These personnel shall supervise prisoners closely enough to maintain safe custody and control and to be at all times informed of the prisoners' general health and emergency medical needs. In a medical emergency, the custodial personnel shall secure emergency medical care from a licensed physician according to the unit's plan for medical care. If a physician designated in the plan is not available, the personnel shall secure medical services from any licensed physician who is available. The unit operating the facility shall pay the cost of emergency medical services unless the inmate has third-party insurance, in which case the third-party insurer shall be the initial payor and the medical provider shall bill the third-party insurer. The county shall only be liable for costs not reimbursed by the third-party insurer, in which event the county may recover from the inmate the cost of the non-reimbursed medical services. If a person violates any provision of this section, he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. History (1967, c. 581, s. 2; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1993, c. 510, s. 1; c. 539, s. 1061; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).) Cross References. - As to liability of county for emergency medical services for prisoners working pursuant to G.S. 162-58 , see G.S. 162-61 . Legal Periodicals. - For note as to sheriff's liability for prisoner suicide, in light of Helmly v. Bebber, 77 N.C. App. 275, 335 S.E.2d 182 (1985), see 64 N.C.L. Rev. 1520 (1986).