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Pope County approves jail control-panel replacement and considers adding telehealth mental-health services
Summary
Detention officials won approval to replace a failed booking-area control panel and presented a proposal to add Turnkey Health's telehealth mental-health services at about $6,913.74 per month, which would provide roughly 44 hours of behavioral-health coverage monthly; committee members asked for contract details on overage billing and staff services.
Detention-center staff told the Pope County personnel and budget committee on July 7 that a booking-area control panel and related intercom equipment have failed and must be replaced, and they won committee approval to proceed with a vendor estimate that adds $11,002.50 to replace audio/unlock boards.
Roddy, the detention-center presenter, told the committee that the booking intercom has “completely quit” and explained vendor option 1 would install new audio unlocking termination boards. The chair recorded a motion and the committee approved the replacement by voice vote.
Beyond the panel replacement, Roddy outlined growing mental-health needs in the jail and recommended adding mental-health services from Turnkey Health. "Mental health is becoming... it's just skyrocketed since I've been in law enforcement for approximately 30 years," he said, arguing licensed behavioral-health services would reduce legal risk and better protect detainees. Roddy said the proposed add-on would provide 8 hours of mental-health services and 3 hours of psychological services per week—44 hours per month overall, delivered largely by telehealth.
County staff provided specific contract figures during the meeting: the county's existing monthly medical contract was listed at $36,006.19; adding the mental-health services would increase the monthly bill by $6,913.74 to about $43,005.32. Committee members asked whether the vendor would bill for hours beyond the 44 included in the base package and whether the provider could supply officer-focused testing or counseling. Roddy said those were reasonable follow-up questions and that staff would obtain additional details from the contractor.
Members also pressed on operational coverage: whether the included 44 hours would be shared across all inmates, what would happen if usage exceeded the allotment, and whether county employee health plans already provide counseling. County staff said they would return with contract clarifications and answers on billing for overages and potential services for employees.
The committee also heard related facility needs for the detention center: ongoing chiller problems and a collapsed drain line that will require repair, which staff flagged for future appropriation and scheduling.
Next steps: the committee approved the immediate control-panel purchase and requested staff to report back with a written contract proposal and cost scenarios for expanded mental-health coverage before final procurement of the services.
