State grants license to corrections medical director, who practiced without one

The medical director for the Nevada Department of Corrections has been granted a medical license by the state, almost a year after beginning work without a license, which is a minimum requirement for the job.

The Nevada Board of Medical Examiners issued the license to Dr. Kenneth Williams on July 2. It marks the first time the board has issued a license to a doctor who practiced medicine in the state without one, according to executive director Edward Cousineau. It’s a felony to practice medicine without a license in Nevada.

Last month, Cousineau told the Nevada Current the board, to his knowledge, would not act on Williams’ license until the Attorney General’s office completed its investigation into allegations that Williams practiced without a license. Practitioners at NDOC say the AG’s investigators were still interviewing witnesses last week. Counsineau did not respond to requests for comment.

Williams, reached by phone Monday, declined to say why he accepted the job without a license and why he waited months to apply.

“I’m just looking forward to, you know, getting to work and serving the state of Nevada and helping to improve healthcare,” he told the Current.

According to the state’s licensing website, Williams has a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana, a doctorate in philosophy, also from Xavier University, and a medical degree from Meharry Medical College.

Williams was hired by the State of Nevada almost a year ago. He was placed on administrative leave after the Current reported he had no medical license.

The medical board initiated an investigation in March into complaints about Williams filed by practitioners, according to a letter obtained by the Current, but later determined it had no jurisdiction and turned the case over to the Attorney General.

“He (Williams) needs to be able to prove that he has a medical license in order for him to be able to continue working with us,” NDOC Deputy Director Kristina Shea told the Current in June, adding the state had imposed a deadline, which it declined to disclose.

Dzurenda, who was appointed by Gov. Joe Lombardo, has refused to say why he hired Williams, given his lack of credentials. Lombardo has also refused to address the state’s potential liability for employing an unlicensed medical director, given its legal obligation to provide care for inmates.

Inmates have filed four lawsuits against Williams for denying medical care, the most recent in May, according to federal court records.

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: State grants license to corrections medical director, who practiced without one