Since Yellowstone County is held liable for the welfare of prisoners once they are admitted into the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, it’s become increasingly apparent to the Sheriff’s Department and other detention administrators that the county must elevate the level of assessment given to prisoners before they are admitted.
Before county commissioners, this week, was a request to approve the addition of three and half more positions – primarily to hire nurses – under the contract the county has with Correctional Health Partners, the company which oversees and monitors the health issues of YCDF inmates.
“We are getting more agencies just dropping people [prisoners] off and away they go,” said Deputy County Attorney Kevin Gillen. Pointing to recent cases in which the county was held financially liable in having failed to identify inmate health issues; and given the increased risk factors of an inmate population; the situation is not sustainable, emphasized Gillen.
A nurse must be available 24-7 at the YCDF to assess prisoners to determine if they need some kind of medical care or treatment before admitting them, or directing them to the appropriate care providers.
Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder explained that there is not enough trained staff to be available at all times. “We are using detention officials to do the processing at that time,” he said, “but we need someone who is medically trained available all the time.”
Yellowstone County Commissioners were understanding of the need, but were somewhat stunned at the estimated cost of $402,672 to add the FTEs to the payroll.
