Northwest Ohio Jail Turns to AI-Powered Healthcare Provider Amid Scrutiny of Firm’s Past

STRYKER, OH – January 06, 2026 – By Linda Coleman

The Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio (CCNO) has awarded a significant contract for inmate medical and mental healthcare to Armor Health, a company promoting a revolutionary, data-driven approach powered by artificial intelligence. The agreement, set to begin mid-January, promises to deliver what Armor’s CEO Otto Campo calls a “patient-centered and quality-focused” program for the multi-county facility.

However, the high-tech promise comes with a heavy burden of history. Armor Health, which appears to be the successor to the beleaguered Armor Correctional Health Services, has a well-documented and controversial past, marked by hundreds of lawsuits, allegations of gross negligence, and significant financial turmoil. The decision by CCNO places the regional jail at the center of a high-stakes test: can cutting-edge technology redeem a provider with a troubled legacy, or are the five counties it serves inviting a pattern of problems seen elsewhere across the nation?

A High-Tech Promise for a High-Needs Population

In its announcement, Armor Health emphasized its proprietary “Insights Analytics” platform and a partnership with the tech firm Antidote-AI. Dr. Jimmy Fernandez, Armor’s Chief Medical Officer, stated the company’s focus is on using “data combined with top-tier clinical service to deliver best patient outcomes.” The AI-powered tools are designed to streamline workflows, enhance clinical decisions, and predict health risks, theoretically ensuring that care is delivered more efficiently and effectively.

This pitch is particularly appealing for facilities like CCNO, which manages a complex and vulnerable population. The jail serves five counties—Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, and Williams—and recently expanded to house ICE detainees, pushing its average daily population toward 600 individuals. Like most correctional facilities, CCNO faces the challenge of caring for a population with disproportionately high rates of chronic disease, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders.

According to the competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by CCNO, the contract was to be awarded not necessarily to the lowest bidder, but to the provider whose proposal was deemed most “professionally and technically complete.” Armor’s focus on AI and predictive analytics likely presented a compelling case for a modern, forward-thinking solution to the persistent challenges of correctional healthcare.

“We will collaborate with CCNO leadership and staff to create a highly responsive and comprehensive healthcare program,” CEO Otto Campo stated, stressing a commitment to transparency and excellence. For a facility tasked with protecting the public while operating a cost-effective detention center, the promise of an efficient, data-optimized system is a powerful draw.

A Shadow of Widespread Allegations

Beneath the surface of corporate assurances lies a disturbing history. Armor Correctional Health Services, founded in 2004 and seemingly rebranded as Armor Health, has been one of the most litigated correctional healthcare providers in the United States. Since its inception, the company has faced nearly 600 lawsuits alleging everything from medical malpractice and wrongful death to systemic neglect.

Across the country, a pattern of allegations emerges from court records and news investigations: delayed or denied treatment for serious conditions, mismanagement of medication, understaffing of clinics, and a corporate culture that allegedly prioritized cost-cutting over patient care, sometimes with fatal consequences.

Several high-profile cases underscore the gravity of these claims:

• In 2023, a Florida jury returned a $16 million verdict against Armor after a woman died from pneumonia and septic shock, with the lawsuit alleging her symptoms were ignored by medical staff.
• In Milwaukee, the company was found criminally liable after a man died of profound dehydration in a segregation cell. The case resulted in a $6.75 million settlement.
• The New York Attorney General sued the company for providing “incompetent and deficient” care, leading to a $350,000 settlement and a three-year ban on bidding for contracts within the state.
• The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in Florida terminated a $98 million contract with Armor after the number of jail deaths reportedly tripled under the company’s watch.

This history of legal and operational turmoil culminated in apparent financial distress. In October 2023, Armor Health Management, LLC, entered an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, a state-level alternative to bankruptcy. Court filings revealed over $153 million in unsecured debt, including money owed to the victims and families who had won or settled lawsuits against the company for inadequate care.

The Business of Correctional Care

The selection of Armor Health by CCNO highlights the broader, often contentious trend of privatizing essential government services. Public correctional facilities, facing tight budgets and a lack of specialized medical expertise, increasingly turn to private companies to manage the complex healthcare needs of their inmate populations.

Proponents argue that private firms can offer innovation and cost-efficiency. However, critics warn that the profit motive can create a fundamental conflict with the constitutional obligation to provide adequate medical care. The history of companies like Armor serves as a cautionary tale for government officials, illustrating the potential for catastrophic failure when accountability is lacking.

Despite its past, Armor Health has continued to win contracts, including a $28.2 million agreement with Franklin County, Ohio, in 2021. The company's rebranding and focus on AI technology appear to be part of a strategy to move beyond its troubled reputation and reposition itself as an industry innovator.

For the leadership at CCNO and the five counties that fund it, the contract represents a significant gamble. They are betting that Armor’s new technological capabilities and stated commitment to transparency will overcome the deep-seated issues that have plagued the company for years. The responsibility will now fall on the Corrections Commission of Northwest Ohio to hold its new partner accountable and ensure the health and safety of the individuals in its custody.

As Armor Health’s services go live, this contract will become a critical case study. It will be closely watched by inmate advocates, legal experts, and government officials in Ohio and beyond. The outcome at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio will provide a stark answer to a pressing question: can an AI-driven revolution in healthcare delivery truly transform a system, or will technology merely provide a new veneer for old and dangerous patterns of neglect? The well-being of hundreds of detainees, and the integrity of the public trust, hang in the balance.