Agenda Item # 7
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
10/11/2011
Agenda Report # 706
TO: Mayor and Councilors
SUBJECT: Purchase Authorizations
INITIATED BY: Finance Department
(A) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR INMATES AT MUSCOGEE COUNTY JAIL AND MUSCOGEE
COUNTY PRISON
It is requested that Council approve the contract with New Horizons Community
Service Board, to provide mental health services for inmates at Muscogee County
Jail and Muscogee County Prison, at a monthly cost of $32,265.00; and an
additional one-time cost of $3,000.00 for the purchase of one laptop computer,
and the software necessary to implement and continue this program on site at
the Jail.
The provision of mental health services is a key requirement of the United
States Department of Justice. Mental Health services have been provided
through Corizon (formerly Prison Health Services (PHS)) as part of their
agreement to provide Inmate Medical Services.
However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has reviewed the Mental Health
Services provided at the Muscogee County Jail (MCJ) and has made a number of
suggestions to help both improve the quality of mental health outcomes and to
meet the requirements of the DOJ consent decree. Central to their expectation
were two services currently not a part of the Mental Health Services provided
at the MCJ. The first service is a comprehensive program of group and
individual behavior counseling supported by programming that provides patients
productive ways to spend time out of "lock down" and with other patients.
Second the DOJ requires a system of referrals and continuity of care to insure
all these patients continue to receive care once they are released to the
community.
The Sheriff?s Office selected New Horizons because the vendor provides all of
these services to most of the Jail?s patients in the community and they
coordinate the Mental Health Court, which provides the vendor with experience
and skill sets that allow them to provide these services inside the jail and
outside the jail. In addition New Horizons can provide the proper mix of
professional clinicians insuring adequate care, both within and outside the
jail, with follow on treatment. Enhancing the continuity of follow on care will
likely result in decreased recidivism and save the tax payers significant money
while improving outcomes for the patients. Therefore, the Sheriff?s Office
considers New Horizons a unique provider or sole source for the mental health
services needed at the Muscogee County Jail.
The contract will begin with a 90-day Probationary period commencing October
11, 2011 through January 12, 2012. If the Probationary period is successful,
the contract will continue through June 30, 2012. After which, the contract
will automatically renew, annually, for the period of five years, on July 1st
of each year
Funds are budgeted for this ongoing expense as follows: General Fund - Sheriff
- Medical ? Medical Director ? Medical Services; 0101-550-2650-MEDD-6321;
General Fund ? Sheriff ? Medical - Medical Director ? Consulting;
0101-550-2650-MEDD-6315.
?ITEM A?
A RESOLUTION
NO.___
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT WITH NEW HORIZONS
COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD, TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR INMATES AT
MUSCOGEE COUNTY JAIL AND MUSCOGEE COUNTY PRISON, AT A MONTHLY COST OF
$32,265.00; AND AN ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME COST OF $3,000.00 FOR THE PURCHASE OF
ONE LAPTOP COMPUTER, AND THE SOFTWARE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT AND CONTINUE THIS
PROGRAM ON SITE AT THE JAIL.
WHEREAS, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has reviewed the Mental
Health Services provided at the Muscogee County Jail (MCJ) and has made a
number of suggestions to help both improve the quality of mental health
outcomes and to meet the requirements of the DOJ consent decree. Central to
their expectation were two services currently not a part of the Mental Health
Services provided at the MCJ. The first service is a comprehensive program of
group and individual behavior counseling supported by programming that provides
patients productive ways to spend time out of "lock down" and with other
patients. Second the DOJ requires a system of referrals and continuity of care
to insure all these patients continue to receive care once they are released to
the community; and,
WHEREAS, the Sheriff?s Office selected New Horizons because the vendor
provides all of these services to most of the Jail?s patients in the community
and they coordinate the Mental Health Court, which provides the vendor with
experience and skill sets that allow them to provide these services inside the
jail and outside the jail. In addition New Horizons can provide the proper mix
of professional clinicians insuring adequate care, both within and outside the
jail, with follow on treatment. Enhancing the continuity of follow on care will
likely result in decreased recidivism and save the tax payers significant money
while improving outcomes for the patients. Therefore, the Sheriff?s Office
considers New Horizons a unique provider or sole source for the mental health
services needed at the Muscogee County Jail; and,
WHEREAS, the contract will begin with a 90-day Probationary period
commencing October 11, 2011 through January 12, 2012. If the Probationary
period is successful, the contract will continue through June 30, 2012. After
which, the contract will automatically renew, annually, for the period of five
years, on July 1st of each year
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to contract with New Horizons
Community Service Board, to provide mental health services for inmates at
Muscogee County Jail and Muscogee County Prison, at a monthly cost of
$32,265.00; and an additional one-time cost of $3,000.00 for the purchase of
one laptop computer, and the software necessary to implement and continue this
program on site at the Jail. Funds are budgeted for this ongoing expense as
follows: General Fund - Sheriff - Medical ? Medical Director ? Medical
Services; 0101-550-2650-MEDD-6321; General Fund ? Sheriff ? Medical - Medical
Director ? Consulting; 0101-550-2650-MEDD-6315.
___________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,
held the _________ day of ________________, 2011 and adopted at said meeting by
the affirmative vote of _________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor McDaniel voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_______________________________ _____________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
Attachments
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