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Board approves 6.5% increase to jail medical contract; supervisors ask for standing oversight and CalAIM enrollment follow-up
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved a 6.5% increase to the county jail medical services contract with California Forensic Medical Group, citing inflation and staffing costs. Supervisors requested formal quarterly oversight of jail medical services and directed staff to pursue improved Medi-Cal (CalAIM) enrollment processes for inmates.
The Board of Supervisors on June 10 approved Amendment No. 2 to the county’s contract for detention-facility medical services with California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG), increasing the contract base by 6.5 percent to a new annual amount of $4,401,513.50 for 2025.
Public Health and Jail staff worked with the county CAO to negotiate the amendment, which county staff said was driven by increased labor and administrative costs and new regulatory expectations. Staff said the vendor’s original request was higher and that the agreed 6.5% reflects negotiated compromise.
Supervisors used the contract discussion to raise two operational priorities. Supervisor Pyska requested a standing jail-medical oversight committee (the county’s staff and board members have attended ad hoc quarterly meetings), arguing that regular board-level oversight would ensure patient care and fiscal accountability. County staff agreed to place a standing oversight item on a future agenda and the board signaled support to formalize the oversight group.
Several supervisors also asked staff to accelerate efforts to enroll inmates in Medi-Cal at intake where possible under CalAIM rules, to reduce care gaps on release. The jail’s medical and probation staff noted many detainees are pretrial and have short stays; staff said they will look at ways to sign people up earlier in the detention process to ensure continuity of care on discharge.
The motion to approve the contract amendment carried unanimously. County staff said payments to the vendor were already several months delayed and asked the board to approve the amendment to regularize payments going forward.
Ending: The board approved the contract increase and directed staff to create a more formal oversight mechanism and to report back on CalAIM enrollment options for detainees.
