The Michigan Department of Corrections MDOC has received a shipment of 90 new wheelchairs for the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility.
The move follows a scathing report released earlier this year by Disability Rights Michigan, which alleged that a shortage of wheelchairs and available attendants forced women to miss meals and critical medical lines.
For years, advocates said they heard reports of what they described as a "disastrous" lack of mobility aids at Michigan’s only women’s prison.
The group's investigation found that the shortage was so severe that some women were essentially trapped in their housing units.
Simon Zagata, director of the Community and Institutional Rights team at Disability Rights Michigan, noted that the findings were eye opening but not surprising.
"It should not take years and it should not take a comprehensive report from an outside agency to get changes started," Zagata said, emphasizing that disabled individuals rarely ask for more accommodations than they truly need.
A statement from the Department of Corrections confirmed the facility has received a shipment of 90 additional wheelchairs. The department noted that "with the additional wheelchairs, it is expected that there will be one wheelchair for each individual using a wheelchair for distance."
Addressing another concern raised in the report, the Corrections Department said the facility currently has enough wheelchair attendants but is "exploring ways to increase the number if more are needed in the future."
The department also highlighted that access to medical lines and meals will be extended for those needing mobility aids, and that new signage and updated policies have been implemented to ensure staff and incarcerated individuals can "elevate any wheelchair issue immediately."
Yet, Disability Rights Michigan remains cautious.
Zagata noted that while it is "happy with the progress," the organization will continue to monitor the facility in person to ensure the changes are implemented effectively.
