Delaware County oversight board approves one-year Wellpath extension and $25 monthly inmate stipend

The Delaware County Jail Oversight Board on its January meeting approved a one-year extension to the county's contract with Wellpath, the facility's correctional health-care vendor, and authorized a monthly $25 deposit to incarcerated persons' trust accounts for those housed more than 15 days.

The extension to Wellpath's contract, which the presenter said carries a projected one-year cost of $12,000,000, will be reviewed by the county solicitor and presented to County Council for approval. The board voted to approve the contract extension during the meeting; Warden (name not specified) told the board the county had budgeted projected health-care spending for 2025 and that the extension would not require an additional funding request to the county because the estimated amounts were already included in the county's operating projections.

The oversight board also voted to direct monthly deposits of $25 to each incarcerated person's trust account for people who have been housed at the facility for more than 15 days; the deposit will post on the second Wednesday of each month. Board staff said deposits are placed in each individual's trust account and would be spendable on commissary, phones, or tablet services; remaining balances at release will follow the board's existing release procedures (fees may be deducted, otherwise the remaining…