Sumner County committee approves $564,032 appropriation for jail scanners and behavioral health liaison, requires quarterly reports on indirect costs

The Sumner County Opioid Abatement Committee on May 8 approved an appropriation to fund new scanner equipment for the county jail and to pay for a behavioral-health liaison position in partnership with Volunteer Behavioral Health, with committee members requiring quarterly reports on how the nonprofit spends indirect costs.

Committee members voted to provide roughly $500,000 to the sheriff’s office for equipment and about $132,000 to Volunteer Behavioral Health (VBH) for staffing and clinical services, a combined total the meeting packet identified as $564,032. The equipment request covers two body scanners and two mail scanners; the staffing component funds a 50% full-time-equivalent behavioral-health liaison (including benefits) and associated clinical services for inmates returning to the community.

The sheriff’s office representative described the intended effects of the equipment: “It’s going to help minimize the contraband and the opioids coming into the jail,” and said a second body scanner will provide backup when the existing machine needs maintenance. The mail scanner described to the committee uses radio-frequency technology and, the presenter said, “uses no radiation.” The vendor offers 24/7 expert support, the committee was told.

Volunteer Behavioral Health representatives said the liaison position would provide crisis services, care management and linkage to community resources including TennCare enrollment, therapy and medication management for inmates preparing to reenter the community. The liaison was described as supplementing an existing contract for county behavioral-health services that currently provides limited hours of care; committee members said the new position would broaden that coverage.

Several committee members raised questions about VBH’s proposed indirect-cost rate of 26.9% (roughly $24,433 over the two-year budget in the packet). Members expressed concern about oversight of indirect funds on an appropriation (as opposed to a state-managed grant) and discussed options including: (1) asking VBH to break out indirect-cost line items on submitted invoices, (2) requiring quarterly invoices showing how indirect funds were spent, and (3) adopting a future policy cap on indirect rates to match the state limit discussed in the meeting (15%). One committee member estimated that reducing the indirect rate from 26.9% to 15% would free about $10,880 for other use; committee staff said any reallocation would affect how quickly those funds must be spent under the committee’s spending schedule.

A motion to fund the project while requesting quarterly reports on indirect-cost invoices was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Committee minutes record the motion’s outcome as approved; the packet and discussion characterize the VBH budget as a two-year budget and note that both entities intend to pursue a federal grant if it becomes available in the future.

Committee members also discussed administrative follow-up: staff said the committee can ask for invoice-level detail and time sheets to verify the 50% FTE allocation, and that the committee will place broader discussion of an indirect-cost cap in its bylaws or policy agenda at a later meeting.

The committee chair moved on after the vote and noted that VBH and the sheriff’s office will return documentation requested by committee staff. No legal or statutory citations were introduced in the discussion.