Thermal Abandonment: Best Practices to End Correctional Heat Death for Menopausal Black Women in Prison

Key Points

• The aim is to identify best practices to prevent heat-related mortality in menopausal Black women incarcerated in prisons.
• Developed a four-tier toolkit including compassionate release and zero-copay hormone therapy.
• Implemented thermometer protocols and federal mandates focused on structural decarceration.
• Emphasized the role of deliberate indifference in thermal abandonment.
• The implementation of the toolkit significantly reduced incidences of heat-related illnesses.
• Evidence suggested that zero-copay hormone therapy improved the health outcomes of women affected.
• Outcomes indicated that thermal abandonment is a reversible condition with proactive measures.