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Ballard County explores non‑renewal of inmate‑housing arrangement after repeated mental‑health transport incidents
Summary
Court members discussed notifying a contractor that the county will not renew a contract after several incidents in which individuals needing mental‑health care were booked into jail instead of transported to treatment; county staff tabled formal action pending review of the full contract.
Ballard County fiscal court members said they have sent notice that they will not renew an unspecified contract after repeated issues, and described at least one recent incident in which an individual needing mental‑health care was brought to jail rather than a facility that could provide treatment.
Speaker 1 told the court he had sent a letter indicating the county would not renew the arrangement, citing a strained working relationship and operational problems. Speaker 1 said the county had already incurred roughly $76,000 so far this year related to the arrangement.
Several speakers recounted incidents in which officers attempted to take individuals to mental‑health facilities but ended up booking them into jail. Speaker 8 said one man “would not eat, would not drink, did not understand questions, did not sign paperwork” and was not lucid; staff ultimately called EMS and had him transported by ambulance to a hospital for mental‑health care. Speaker 8 added that involuntary commitment requires a judge’s order and that the individual could not appear in court.
Speakers discussed whether the county court must vote to terminate a contract mid‑fiscal year and agreed that a simple notification is sufficient to decline renewal, though a mid‑year termination might require a fiscal court vote depending on contract language. Speaker 9 said she had not seen the full contract and asked for a copy; Speaker 1 said he would put the item on the June 20 agenda so Bethany could review the contract before the court takes action.
The court did not take immediate formal action; Speaker 1 said no vote would occur that night and the matter was tabled to allow a contract review. The transcript does not list the contractor by name. The court asked staff to review the contract language and return with the full document for the next meeting.
