Committee presses Department of Corrections pilot funded in governor’s budget for clarity on staffing, cost comparison and oversight

The House Corrections and Institutions Committee on Feb. 18 discussed a $300,000 item in the governor’s recommended budget intended to support a Department of Corrections pilot program to provide residential treatment and medication‑assisted treatment services (MOUD) via a contracted provider.

Committee members raised repeated concerns about staffing, program coordination, measurable outcomes and costs. Several members said they would support the concept only if the appropriation included clear legislative language requiring: (1) a marginal‑cost comparison that isolates the incremental cost to DOC of providing the services inside the correctional setting versus buying equivalent capacity in the community; (2) coordination with DOC’s existing health‑care contractor(s) (transcript references “Wellpath”); (3) a checklist of staffing and capacity requirements before funds can be spent; (4) required elements for any RFP…