GALVESTON, Texas (AP) _ The state medical institution that provides health care for state inmates across Texas is laying off more than 360 workers, citing state budget cuts.
The president of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston notified workers of the decision in a message distributed Tuesday. Dr. David Callender said the program faced a projected $82 million deficit in 2010-11.
The cuts will take place July 21 and will include nurses, medical technicians and other employees at 86 facilities across the state. The cuts will account for 10.6 percent of the correctional care program’s 3,418 employees.
UTMB has had the state’s correctional care contract at 112 prisons since 1993. Texas Tech University provides health care to the other 20 percent of state inmates.