Lawsuit alleges Newaygo County Jail, prison health providers failed to treat inmate’s MS

Shane Veltkamp entered the Newaygo County Jail in July 2023 fully mobile and independent; he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis while detained and by his October 2024 release was confined to a wheelchair with tremors, incontinence, and slurred speech, according to a federal lawsuit filed against the county and two private healthcare contractors, Advanced Correctional Healthcare and VitalCore Health Strategies.

A neurologist diagnosed Veltkamp in September 2023 and recommended prompt infusion treatment to halt the disease's progression, then spent months trying and failing to coordinate care across the facilities where he was transferred before closing his file in March 2024 with a note saying he'd have to wait until release. In December 2023, Veltkamp wrote in an internal request form, 'I'm dying in here without proper help … please help me,' according to the complaint.

Neither healthcare contractor responded to requests for comment, and Newaygo County said only that it doesn't discuss open litigation. Veltkamp's attorney argues the county and state can't contract away their constitutional duty to provide basic medical care, noting the providers hold contracts worth up to $100 million and asking simply whether 'ordinary care' is being delivered.

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