""For decades, the daily conditions at Rikers have been calamitous and unsafe. Two weeks ago, two men suffered medical emergencies and died while in [Department of Correction] custody. These are not isolated incidents.""
""The new Bellevue unit will make it so that those in need of specialty care at Rikers don't have to travel for hours to get to a hospital.""
""The facility features new physical and occupational therapy equipment, natural light and a 'vast recreational space,' according to Mamdani.""
The new 104-bed unit at Bellevue Hospital is designed to provide specialized medical care for Rikers Island detainees. Completed last year, it opens amid rising scrutiny over jail deaths. Mayor Mamdani emphasized the facility's importance in addressing unsafe conditions at Rikers, where recent deaths have raised alarms. The unit will reduce travel time for detainees needing specialty care, although it will only accommodate a small portion of the population requiring medical services. Additional units are planned for other hospitals in the city.
Read at Gothamist
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