St. Mary’s County accepts state grants to continue jail-based opioid treatment; officials cite volume of mental‑health cases

St. Mary’s County commissioners approved grant awards and applications on Aug. 19 to support medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and residential substance‑abuse treatment at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Warden Mary Anne Thompson and sheriff’s office financial staff explained the funding package in detail to the commissioners. The board accepted a Governor’s Office Performance Incentive Grant Fund award of $185,688 to continue two registered nurses and two contracted peer recovery specialists that support the detention center’s jail‑based MOUD program. Thompson told the board the performance award does not include funding for medications; medication funding was expected to be covered by another grant presented later in the meeting.

Thompson described the statutory context for the grants: House Bill 116 (enacted in 2019), codified in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Correctional Services §9‑603, requires local detention centers to implement medication‑assisted treatment programs, provide evidence‑based screening, employ substance‑abuse clinicians, arrange offender reentry coordination and provide peer recovery specialists and warm handoffs to community care.

Commissioners were also asked to approve an RSAT application for $224,556 to fund an aftercare planning licensed social worker and a peer recovery specialist to support continuity of care for detainees leaving the facility. That application carries a 25% non‑federal match requirement ($74,852). Sheriff’s office staff told the board the match would be met by using part of the salary/fringe already budgeted for the offender reentry case manager position in the sheriff’s FY26 budget; staff said that position is already funded and counts as the required in‑kind match.

An unexpected RSAT part‑2 carryover award of $71,909 was also accepted; that award covers, the presentation said, the continuation of two registered nurses contracted through Prime Care Medical through December 2025. That award carries a 25% non‑federal match of $23,636, which the sheriff’s office said would also be covered by existing salary/fringe in the budget.

Thompson described operational pressures at the detention center: she said 182 detainees were currently being observed or classified as patients for mental‑health concerns within a facility population running about 209; nine detainees were waiting transfer to state psychiatric hospitals (Perkins, Spring Grove or Springfield, as cited). Commissioners asked clarifying questions about required staffing, funding sources and whether the state had provided sufficient funding for statutory requirements; Thompson and staff explained grant programs (GOCAP, RSAT) and that some state funding mechanisms had not fully covered all required costs.

All motions to accept awards and authorize the RSAT application were moved, seconded and approved without recorded opposition. Commissioners directed staff to process related budget amendments and to execute grant agreements and documents.

Ending

The grants and applications approved Aug. 19 will allow the detention center to continue staff and contracted services that support MOUD and residential substance‑abuse treatment while county staff complete budget and contract paperwork. County officials emphasized the grants are necessary to meet Maryland statutory requirements and to support continuity of care and warm handoffs to community services on release.