JAIL HEALTH SERVICES IN COOK COUNTY WERE EXTENSIVELY CRITICIZED BY THE MEDIA IN 1973. THE MEDICAL CORPSMEN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED IN RESPONSE TO THIS CRITICISM SPECIFIED MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE PROGRAM FOR INMATES, A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND 2 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A MILITARY MEDICAL CORPSMAN. FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY CORPSMEN INCLUDE INTAKE MEDICAL EVALUATIONS, MEDICATION DISTRIBUTION, MEDICAL TRIAGE, AND INTERACTION WITH THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. CORPSMEN ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE MONITORING OF THERAPEUTIC RESPONSES SUCH AS PERIODIC BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT, TUBERCULOSIS SKIN TESTS, CHANGING MEDICAL DRESSING, HEALTH EDUCATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT HEALTH, AND EMERGENCY TREATMENT AND TRANSPORT. THE ISSUE OF PROPER CREDENTIALS FOR CORPSMEN IS ACCOMPLISHED BY PROHIBTING THEM FROM INITIATING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, LIMITING CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THEY DISPENSE NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AND ADMINISTERING PERIODIC WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS TO DOCUMENT THEIR COMPETENCY IN MEDICATION DISTRIBUTION AND TRIAGE FUNCTIONS. BASED ON AN AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IN JAIL OF 1 MONTH PER INMATE, THE COST OF CORPSMEN SERVICES IS ESTIMATED AT LESS THAN $10 PER INMATE PER MONTH. THE EFFECTIVE USE OF CORPSMEN HAS ALLOWED MORE APPROPRIATE UTILIZATION OF PHYSICIAN SERVICES. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT CORPSMEN COOPERATE WITH CORRECTIONAL STAFF AND RECEIVE CONSISTENT SUPERVISION BY AND SUPPORT FROM QUALIFIED PHYSICIANS. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)