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Cochise County jail district approves clinical practicum agreement with community college
Summary
The Cochise County Jail District board unanimously approved an agreement allowing allied-health students from Coochis College to complete clinical practicums at the county detention facility from March 2026 through February 2029. Supervisors also approved two consent items earlier in the meeting.
The Cochise County Jail District board voted unanimously March 24 to approve a clinical practicum and externship agreement that will allow allied‑health students to train inside the county detention facility.
The agreement, presented by Miss Kennedy, covers medical assistants, certified nursing assistants, nurses and potentially phlebotomists from the college’s allied‑health program and is set to run from March 2026 through February 2029. Kennedy told the board the experience is intended both to provide practical education and to help recruitment and retention of detention health staff.
"This agreement will allow for Coochis College students from their allied health department to come into the Coochis County Jail and follow the nurses and the ... individuals who work for Coochis County detention health services in their educational experience," Kennedy said in presenting the item. She added that the program could "hopefully enhance our recruitment retention program as well so that we can bring these individuals in ... and hopefully invite them to come back and apply."
One supervisor spoke in favor from personal experience, saying a similar opportunity had helped steer them into juvenile corrections: "I wanted to go into juvenile corrections, which I did," the supervisor said, urging that training opportunities draw people into correctional careers. Supervisor Crosby asked Kennedy about her own background; Kennedy said she began work at a juvenile detention center in Northern Arizona, also worked as an EMT and firefighter, and that "Cochise County helped pay for my nursing degree."
After brief discussion the board voted on the motion to approve the agreement. The chair announced the motion carried following vocal affirmative responses from the board. The board also approved two consent agenda items at the start of the meeting.
The agreement is effective March 2026 through February 2029. The meeting then moved from the jail district agenda into the regular board session.
