Redefining Health Care

Raising the bar for care in Delaware’s correctional facilities

CONTRIBUTED BY VITALCORE HEALTH STRATEGIES, LLC

IN DECEMBER 2022, the Delaware Department of Correction (DDOC) released a request for proposals for health care and behavioral health care services for the eight correctional facilities overseen by the department. A press release issued by the department in 2023 stated that “The Delaware Department of Correction is committed to comprehensive health care services that provide treatment and promote wellness” for the individuals housed at these facilities, who are recognized to be part of vulnerable, at-risk populations.

VitalCore Health Strategies, LLC, sharing this vision, entered into a contract with the DDOC in July 2023 to promote the health and wellness of the patient population housed in the state’s correctional facilities.

VitalCore was founded with a singular focus: to provide highquality correctional health care services. The company began in Kansas in 2015 as Viola Riggin, LLC, and was renamed VitalCore Health Strategies in 2018. Though it started as a small business, it was backed by more than 30 years of correctional health care experience.

Founder Ms. Riggin had a clear vision — to create a better model for delivering care to incarcerated individuals, one that redefines how health care is provided in correctional and other institutional settings. While staying grounded in what matters most, VitalCore has established a culture that recognizes the value of each patient, team member, and client through product and service excellence that results in the most positive clinical experience. A wide range of medical services is provided by VitalCore to individuals incarcerated in DDOC facilities, including management of chronic illness, diagnostic services, medication management, dialysis, and much more.

VitalCore focuses on preventive care, outcomes-based behavioral health services, and treating the whole patient. Preventive medicine leads to healthier patients, fewer risks, and lower costs.

VitalCore believes in a holistic, patient-centered approach and is fortunate to have the opportunity to provide behavioral health services to the DDOC patient population, in addition to medical services.

VitalCore understands that medical and mental health are both vital aspects of a patient’s overall health and well-being. Patients are provided with evidence-based substance use disorder programming, psychiatric and psychological treatment, shortterm cognitive behavioral therapy, substance use programming, sex offender treatment, DUI programming, and more.

The heart of VitalCore’s business is its people, and these services would not be possible without the dedicated staff who make a commitment every day to provide high-quality services to the patient population of the DDOC.

More than 600 people are employed by VitalCore in the state of Delaware, and the business manages central operations through a regional office located in Dover. The Dover office plays a key role in day-to-day operations by housing key personnel and leading efforts across the state to manage the exceptional health care and behavioral health services VitalCore is committed to providing.

As an employer, DDOC partner, and patient care provider, VitalCore Health Strategies sees itself as more than a health care provider.

Learn more about VitalCore Health Strategies' services at www.vitalcorehs.com.