Prison board approves addiction treatment contract, negotiating healthcare contract
The Butler County Prison Board on Tuesday renewed an inmate addiction treatment contract with the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center and is planning to negotiate an extension of its inmate healthcare contract.
The one-year renewal with the Gaiser Center includes a 3% to 3.5% increase in service fees, Warden Beau Sneddon said. The fees are $91.95 for initial evaluations, $49.44 for individual substance abuse treatment counseling sessions, $19 for urine screening tests, $25.44 for individual certified recovery service sessions, $73.65 for group certified recovery service sessions, $65 per hour for substance abuse disorder education and $130 group substance abuse disorder education.
County commissioners will vote on the extension at their Aug. 26 meeting.
Board members discussed the inmate healthcare contract with PrimeCare Medical Inc., which expires at the end of the year.
A five-year, $2.4 million contract with PrimeCare, was due to expire Oct. 1, 2025. It was extended to Dec. 31 at a cost of $213,862 per month.
The board authorized Sneddon to negotiate a two-year extension of the contract with the assistance of county controller Benjamin Holland after discussing several healthcare issues at the prison.
Board members said they are concerned about overtime costs incurred by deputy sheriffs when they take sick inmates to Butler Memorial Hospital.
Sneddon said 60% to 65% of the inmates taken to the hospital are admitted.
A PrimeCare nurse practitioner will assist in deciding whether an inmate should be taken to the hospital. The prison plans to use outpatient treatment providers and telehealth to reduce the transportation costs, Sneddon said.
Some board members suggested raising the amount of the catastrophic healthcare cap from $200,000 to $400,000. The cap is the maximum amount insurance will cover before the prison has to cover the rest of the bill.
Other board members said the cap is not a significant issue because the prison has to pay for the care inmates receive regardless of the cap.
Sneddon commended PrimeCare for its work and said he fears the prison would see a cost increase if the board decides to issue a request for proposals for a new contract.
Sheriff Mike Slupe said he prefers to issue a request for proposals because the cost of the contract is likely to increase and a new contractor might provide better service.
County Commissioner Leslie Osche said the prison pays $6,293 for healthcare per inmate under the current contract. Other counties pay $7,450 to nearly $11,000, she said.
The meeting began with a send off for Tish Blum, who retired after working as an administrative assistant for the prison for 37 years under the direction of four wardens during her tenure.
Blum had the most seniority among prison employees and the third most among all county employees, officials said.
Sneddon said Blum created an extensive handbook about prison operations and is a friend to him and his family.
Former warden Joe DeMore called during the meeting and former wardens Rick Shaffer and Rich Gigliotti, who hired Blum in 1989, attended the meeting and wished Blum a happy retirement. The commissioners, Slupe and District Attorney Richard Goldinger thanked Blum for her service and wished her well.
