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Detention center and sheriff cite mandates, inmate health costs and lost phone revenue as budget drivers
Summary
Detention center and sheriff's office officials described federal and state mandates, increasing inmate healthcare and dietary contracts, loss of inmate phone commissions, and costs tied to holding state‑committed patients as drivers of requested increases in their FY26 budgets.
Detention center and sheriff officials presented budget items tied largely to mandates and contract increases and described several factors pushing costs higher for FY26.
The detention center reported that a federal change barred collecting commissions on inmate telephone calls, removing between $40,000 and $60,000 in annual revenue; renegotiated tablet and messaging systems may produce a small handling fee but revenue is uncertain. The detention administrator adjusted inmate fund revenue projections downward and estimated the inmate fund at about $98,000 pending full-year data.
Officials described a state mandate (Correctional Services Article 9‑603) requiring medication for opioid use disorder for incarcerated people; the program costs about $634,172 annually. The detention center said outside grant funding currently covers that program’s costs, and that the center receives some research stipends tied to participation in studies.
The facility also detailed costs and delays related to holding people committed to the Maryland Department of Health while awaiting beds; the facility reported having more than a dozen such individuals at times and said it has pursued claims to recoup costs from the state, noting one award of $41,100 for a single prolonged hold. The facility estimated the state could owe about $219,000 for current extended holds, though revenue is not guaranteed.
Overtime and training travel were cited as continuing cost pressures; the detention center said it is launching a local Correctional Training Academy to reduce travel and overtime costs and expects to collect tuition from other counties.
The sheriff asked to return two county positions and said he has cut a line item and proposed modest increases in miscellaneous expenditures and automotive insurance to cover body‑camera and other mandated costs. He said the county expected about $300,000 for body‑camera rollout but the county only received $30,000, leaving local agencies to absorb the rest.
Commissioners thanked officials for seeking grants and for vacancy freezes but noted that mandated increases limit the ability to stay flat without county support.
