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Sheriff asks commissioners to amend jail medical services contract as inmate medical workload increases
Summary
The sheriff requested a contract amendment with Southern Health Partners to increase jail medical nursing from 20 to 40 hours per week; the board approved the amendment and the sheriff said the increase will be funded by reallocating MAT-program budget funds.
The Grand County Sheriff asked the Board of County Commissioners to approve a contract amendment with Southern Health Partners to expand medical services at the county jail from a 20-hour-per-week position to approximately 40 hours per week. The board approved the requested amendment.
Sheriff Brett Shortland told commissioners the workload in the county detention facility quickly exceeded the originally budgeted 20 hours per week for the medical provider and that the position functions closer to a full-time (40-hour) role given medication administration, evaluation and other clinical responsibilities. He said the contract amendment carries an additional cost near $99,168 for the contract term and that the department plans to offset the increase by repurposing funds already budgeted to a medication-assisted therapy (MAT) program; the sheriff said only about $10,000–$15,000 of the MAT allocation is expected to be used and that the remainder could fund the medical staffing increase.
Why it matters: The sheriff described an evolving state standard and guidance under which detainees require evaluation and access to medication on arrival; he said the Gold Standard Commission and state conversations are still defining the requirements but that the county needs to ensure staff and contracted providers can meet expected medical coverage and medication distribution schedules.
Commissioners approved the Southern Health Partners contract amendment on a motion. Sheriff Shortland said the increased hours are not a net new budget increase but a reallocation between line items and programs. The contract, as amended, will run through April and the sheriff’s office said it will reassess staffing after that interval.
Next steps: The sheriff’s office will execute the amendment and continue coordination with county finance to manage the line-item transfer from the MAT program allocation. Sheriff Shortland said the county will monitor costs and service delivery and report back to the board if further action is needed.
