In Memoriam: Ken Bennett, CCHP

NCCHC mourns the passing of Ken Bennett, CCHP, longtime lead surveyor and winner of the 2023 Surveyor of the Year Award.

Mr. Bennett had a long career with the Idaho Department of Corrections, starting in 1989 as a correctional officer and progressing through the ranks of lieutenant to captain and ultimately to warden until his retirement in 2015. He also served for four years as manager of the state of Idaho’s largest probation and parole district. Upon retirement, he became an NCCHC surveyor and, shortly thereafter, a lead surveyor, visiting facilities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. His custody background along with his experience overseeing health care service operations during his Idaho DOC tenure commanded the respect of custody staff and health staff alike.

In 2023, Mr. Bennett was awarded NCCHC’s annual Surveyor of the Year award for his outstanding service and dedication to the accreditation program.

Fellow surveyors vied for a spot on the surveys Mr. Bennett led. His easygoing manner belied the fact that he was a stickler for detail, accuracy, and meticulous reports. He was always willing to help whenever asked to lead a survey, no matter how far or for how long he had to travel. Said a colleague, “Ken epitomized all that is good about NCCHC.”

He earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Lewis-Clark State College and was a United States Army veteran.

Mr. Bennett is survived by his wife, Luisa, four children, and nine grandchildren.