Texas Tech outlines jail health-care program, offers telehealth and on-site staffing for county jails

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center told the Wichita County Commissioners Court on July 11 that it can provide on-site and telehealth medical, mental health and dental services for county jails, and described a staged approach used in Lubbock County that the university said could be applied in Wichita County. The presentation by Corey Schenk, senior managing director for Strategic Initiatives, and Kiana Caruso, project manager, said Texas Tech took over a Lubbock County contract in December 2024 and has delivered primary, specialty and dental care there while augmenting services with telehealth. "We took over that contract in December of 24," Schenk said. He added the program combines local staffing, telehealth specialty consults and coordination with local mental-health authorities. The university described several operational features: 24/7 clinical coverage in larger jails with four clinical staff per shift (including a charge RN and an emergency medical technician), weekday provider clinics, infectious-disease nursing coordination with local health departments, two medication aides per shift and the use of telepsychiatry and telehealth to reduce off-site transports. Schenk said Texas Tech emphasizes "maintaining high quality care while you're reducing transportation," citing telehealth for specialty consults and remote follow-up to avoid unnecessary hospital trips. Texas Tech representatives told the court they already work with local mental-health authorities (LMHAs) on competency restoration and that, under state law, an LMHA must be the contract holder for the initial competency restoration assessment. Schenk said Texas Tech would collaborate with the LMHA on programming, medication management and crisis care, and would not replace the LMHA as the statutory assessment authority. The presenters described staffing and transition practices used in Lubbock County: telepsychiatry contracts with other counties, a deliberate 90-day post-transition stabilization period before taking on additional on-site county contracts, and a commitment to bring existing local dental or clinical staff into an expanded staffing pool where feasible. Schenk said Texas Tech is not seeking to be a high-volume vendor and plans staged transitions so operational quality and the university's reputation are protected. No decision, contract or vote occurred at the meeting. Commissioners and the county judge asked logistical questions about inmate counts, staffing and cost drivers; Judge Johnson and Schenk agreed Texas Tech would provide more information to county staff and continue discussions with the sheriff’s office. "You'll be our point of contact. We have other information that we can share to, captain," Schenk said, and he added Texas Tech will coordinate with the sheriff's department on next steps. Why it matters: county jail health services affect inmate health, sheriff's staffing and jail transport costs. The presentation outlined an option to shift specialty care into the jail via telehealth, expand on-site care and coordinate competency restoration with the LMHA, but it did not commit the county to any agreement or budgetary change. What comes next: county staff and the sheriff’s office will continue conversations with Texas Tech; the commissioners did not take any formal action on July 11.