| County looks at health care options for jail |
By: Wendy Reuer
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Posted: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 10:41 pm
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A program that might save the county more than $100,000 in health care costs at the jail, also may be used to help fund more mental health services for inmates — an effort that supporters say will reduce recidivism and abuse of the system by inmates.
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By WENDY REUER
wreuer@owatonna.com
OWATONNA — A program that might save the county more than $100,000 in health care costs at the jail, also may be used to help fund more mental health services for inmates — an effort that supporters say will reduce recidivism and abuse of the system by inmates.
In October, Advanced Correctional Healthcare proposed a comprehensive health care package to the jail, including not just assistance in physical care but a psychologist who would visit the jail daily for patients and a pharmaceutical provider.
The annual cost to the county would be $83,103 based on the population of 60 Steele County inmates and 30 boarded inmates, or those from the state or other counties. If the jail houses more or less inmates each month, the jail is credited or charged accordingly.
According to Detention Center business director Debra Lesmeister, 2008 health care costs totaled $186,521, up from $109,889 in 2006.
Lesmeister said the rising number of mental health-related issues has contributed significantly to the cost of health care.
The proposal returned to the Steele County Board of Commissioners at its Nov. 10 meeting. There, Commissioner Tom Shea reported that the management committee is working with ACH, the jail and South Central Human Relations to align the cost savings with a plan to use that money to hire a part-time mental health specialist for the jail.
Shea said a half-time specialist had been built into the 2009 budget, but due to budget cuts in 2009, the position was not created.
Although ACH’s proposal includes teleservices and a mental health specialist six hours a week, the local specialist would allow for more on-site care and the ability to work with inmates to develop a plan of treatment for after release.
“I’d much rather work with these people and develop their life skills so that they can cope on the outside,” said Jail Administrator Dan Schember. “If they can’t, they’ll wind up back in jail, and it’s $53,000 a year to house them. That’s expensive. I would much rather develop a tax payer rather than a tax consumer.”
Human Services Director Kelly Harder estimated a half-time specialist may cost the county up to $40,000.
Health care is a rising concern for jails across the state. Last week, the Dodge County Board of Commissioners voted to pay $119,968 to the Mayo Clinic for the medical bill of Ismael Bugarin.
Bugarin is accused of killing his wife and son in Nov. 2008. He allegedly also stabbed his two daughters and tried to slit his own wrists before authorities arrived.
Although Bugarin has only been charged with four counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, his insurance company won’t pay the bill because the wounds were received during a commission of a felony, according to Dodge County Attorney Paul Kiltinen.
In Wadena County, inmates will be asked to pay $20 a day for every day they are housed in the county jail. There, Sheriff Mike Carr said the goal is to deter people who periodically land themselves in jail so they can get free services.
Schember said he has seen inmates try the same thing here, although Steele County also charges $20 a day to inmates, a practice long in-place.
“Plus, if they go see the nurse, there is a fee involved. If they would consume prescriptions, they are billed for their prescriptions,” Schember said. “I’m not saying we collect all the money, but it’s not just a hand out. If no effort has been made to pay, it’s turned over to a collection agency.”
Transportation and extradition costs also are charged to the inmates at Steele County.
The ACH agreement will be brought back to the Steele County Commissioners at the committee of the whole meeting, Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m.
Wendy Reuer can be reached at 444-1565.
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