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Board approves five-year MedTrust jail medical contract and a separate MOUD grant for services in custody
Summary
The commissioners voted to approve a five-year MedTrust contract (Jan. 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2029) not to exceed $11 million for jail medical services and separately approved a $242,048 Criminal Justice Commission grant to fund jail-based medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD); staff said MedTrust met RFP requirements for billing and MOUD protocols but cautioned about significant cost increases.
The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 19 approved a five-year medical-services contract with MedTrust LLC to provide jail medical services and also accepted a Criminal Justice Commission grant to support medication-assisted treatment in custody.
Staff corrected an agenda error: the contract term is Jan. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2029 (five years). The agenda listed a not-to-exceed amount of $11,000,000. Sheriff's Office staff and the jail commander said the contract reflects notable cost increases compared with the county's existing arrangement and includes built-in escalators to recruit and retain medical staff.
Captain Brown, the jail commander, and sheriff's staff said the county has been operating under extensions of earlier contracts and that appropriate medical staffing and continuity are essential for liability control. "Not having appropriate health care in the correctional facility is a more significant expense," a sheriff's representative said, noting the county has seen rising claims tied to jail medical services.
Staff told commissioners MedTrust demonstrated capacity to implement Medicaid or other billing arrangements under the 1115 waiver rules the county is monitoring and agreed to support medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in custody, including inductions where clinically appropriate.
Separately, the board approved grant funding of $242,048 from the Criminal Justice Commission for a jail-based MOUD program, with grant period through Dec. 31, 2025 and subject to final county-counsel review. Staff said those grant funds came from allocations tied to state legislation (House Bill 4002) and will be used to stand up medication-assisted treatment services for adults in custody.
The board approved the MedTrust contract and the MOUD grant by voice votes. Commissioners acknowledged the higher near-term costs but endorsed the contract and grant as steps to reduce liability and expand medically appropriate treatment services inside detention.
