The Wallowa County Board of Commissioners on July 28 approved a request from the corrections commander to create a transport/reentry officer position funded through a Medicaid waiver initiative administered by the Washington Health Care Authority (HCA). The board’s action authorized corrections to work with Human Resources to create the position and job description; the county intends to seek a hiring‑freeze exception and post the job after that step.

Why it matters: The HCA cohort program funds specific positions and activities to support reentry and community transitions for people in custody. The county’s corrections commander told the board an increase in medical and reentry-related transports has placed pressure on staff, and the HCA offered funding to cover 80% of the position’s cost because the employee will spend about 80% of time on program duties and 20% on regular jail duties.

Terms and timing: The HCA has committed tranche funding for at least two years under the pilot. The board approved creating a temporary position and authorized HR to draft the job description; the county will advertise and hire once the hiring-freeze exception is approved. Commissioners discussed sustainability: if the HCA funding ends after the pilot, the county could revert the incumbent to a standard corrections officer role or eliminate the position consistent with county budgeting.

Board questions: Commissioners asked whether the role would be hourly, whether it required start‑up overtime coverage and how the county will fill the 20% locally. The commander replied the position will be scheduled into normal rosters and is intended to reduce overtime costs by covering recurring transport duties; the HCA funded the position up to Step H on the pay scale to allow for experienced hires.

Next steps: HR will work with corrections to complete a job description; commissioners will review the hiring-freeze exception and funding implications before the county posts the role.