Evaluation
Diagnosis or idenitification, management, and treatment of transgender inmates and inmates with gender dysphoria is handled by the Multidisciplinary Management and Treatment Team. Individualized medical and mental health evaluations for gender dysphoria will be made by appropriately licensed and qualified medical professionals at the South Carolina Department of Corrections or by referral to or in consultation with licensed, qualified medical community-based professionals. The Multidisciplinary Management and Treatment Team will, on a case-by-case basis, create individualized management, accommodation plans that will provide for all medically necessary treatment, including personal adjustment and housing needs and search preferences, where deemed medically necessary.
Diagnosis
Upon receipt of information that an inmate identifies as transgender or has gender dysphoria, the inmate will be referred to the Behavioral and Mental Health Director and the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Coordinator. An initial evaluation of the inmate will be conducted by medical and mental health staff.
Medicalization
The inmate will be asked to identify and sign an authorization for the release of information for all pertinent outside records including medical and mental health records, if any exist. The inmate will also provide blood work, if deemed necessary, and participate in a full physical examination by a clinician.
Requirements for Transfer to Women’s Facility
In deciding whether to house transgender inmates and inmates with gender dysphoria in a facility for male or female inmates, and in making other housing decisions (bathroom and shower access) and programming assignments, the Multidisciplinary Management and Treatment Team will consult with the Division of Operations as well as Central Classifications to create a plan with a reasonable outcome for the inmate and institution as a whole. Safety concerns will be taken into account. The following factors must be given serious consideration in making housing and placement decisions: a) the inmate’s views with respect to safety; b) the inmate’s expressed gender identity; c) the inmate’s current gender expression; d) the inmate’s vulnerability to victimization; e) the likelihood that the inmate will perpetrate abuse; f) facility considerations such as staffing patterns, physical layout, and inmate population; and g) length of sentence.
Limits based on type of crime committed?
Does not specifically state, however, one of the criteria used to evaluate whether the so-called “transgender” inmate can be housed with Male or Female inmates, is the criteria of “The likelihood that the inmate will perpetrate abuse.”
Re-Evaluation required?
Yes, it seems like since the housing of so-called transgender inmates have to be evaluated on multiple dimensions, factors, and many different heads of different divisions have to weigh in, there are opportunities to re- evalute the decision to house such an inmate with either male or female inmates.
Pronoun requirements?
No specific policy addresses this.
Merging of “transgender” and intersex categories?
Yes
