By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
As Ellis County prepares to begin returning inmates to the newly remodeled prison, one key issue remaining is prison medical care.
With inmates set to begin returning next week, the county is still without medical service at the jail.
At Monday night’s commission meeting, Butch Schlyer, Ellis County Health Administrator, presented the commission with bids from First Care Clinic of Hays and Advanced Correctional Care based in Peoria, Ill.
Schlyer, Jail Sergeant Randy Newton and Undersheriff Bruce Hertel went before the commission to discuss the proposals.
Hertel said one of the issues that he has is the jailers having an increased role in providing medical services.
“They’ve got plenty to do up there right now,” Hertel said “We should be very cautious in trying to have the jailers learn the protocols and all this stuff without a nurse of something available to help give the medications.”
Under the plan from Advanced Correctional Care, jail staff would be trained in “medical protocols for on-call prevention.” A physician is available to help staff work through medical issues and, if they were unable to give the person the needed attention, staff would have to take the inmate to the Emergency Room.
If there was not a physician or nurse on site, First Care would have the jailer take the inmate in need of care to the ER or wait until the next day for treatment.
Schlyer said jail staff has helped give medication in the past but, if the situation gets too involved, it would be above what the jailers can do medically.
Currently, in most cases, staff takes inmates to the hospital and ER for health care.
Wilmer Dinkel, jailer, told the commission his concern is the extra workload put onto the jailers. He said he was under the assumption that hiring an outside contractor would take some of the extra work load off the jailers — especially with the jail population set to double.
With a number of questions remaining, the county will ask a spokesperson from Advanced Correctional to come give the commission a presentation on the services. The commission had county counselor Bill Jeter look over the proposed contract with Advanced Correctional.
But with the county plans to begin housing inmates in the jail March 15, the county will have to temporarily hire medical staff to bridge the gap.
Advanced Correctional estimated it would take between 60 and 90 days to complete the training and take over the services at the jail.
Commissioner Barb Wasinger said the county is going to “have to hire someone,” and Schlyer said it is not going to be easy and “it takes a certain type of person” to provide medical services in the jail.
County EMS Director Kerry McCue said his staff does not have to the medical authority to operate in the jail environment.
In other business, the commission:
• Told Interim Public Works Director Curt Hoffman to go ahead and seek bids to repair the bridge on Yocemento Road that crosses the Saline River. The bridge deck has a hole in it.
• Heard an update from Guy Windholz from the Courthouse Preservation Committee. Windholz said they are just beginning to raise funds for the $139,000 project.
• Held a 15-minute executive session as the public building commission for attorney-client privilege.