Discussions continue on jail inmates' mental health care
Discussions between Jackson County Commissioners and David Elsbury, KANZA Mental Health & Guidance Center CEO, continue regarding inmate mental health care.
At a recent county commission meting, Elsbury discussed a plan for the mental health center to provide routine outpatient admission evaluations and counseling services to county inmates at the Jackson County Jail.
In a proposed contract for 2016, Elsbury said that KANZA could provide routine admission evaluation and counseling services at the jail on a regular, weekly basis for one day a week for three hours. The amount of time could be increased if agreeable by both parties.
Elsbury also said that, as part of a new contract, KANZA would deliver mental health services to the inmates identified as needing such services by the staff at the jail. The names of the inmates seeking mental health services would need to be submitted to KANZA employees 24 hours before they would be scheduled to come to the jail for counseling and evaluations.
Elsbury said that KANZA staff are able to conduct 30 minute sessions with inmates for routine services. Admission evaluations, however, require at least an hour, he said. Routine mental health services are separate from emergency, crisis or screening services.
The block of time would be scheduled for the same day of the week and preferably in the afternoon for more dependable scheduling of the room to be used, Elsbury said.
KANZA will deliver services routinely by the same provider unless they are unavailable due to illness or leave time, he said.
Routine mental health services would also be delivered face to face at the detention center as part of the proposed contract.
KANZA would also provide the jail staff with the professional qualifications of the providers delivering services and would also be in compliance with other training requirements, Elsbury said.
The hourly rates for the services will be $50 per hour, which is consistent with the current and the proposed 2016 contract with KANZA.
Elsbury requested a single point of contact at the jail for effective communication regarding inmates and appointments.
The commissioners requested that Elsbury give the proposal to Sheriff Tim Morse to review. No action was taken on the proposed contract.
In other business, according to the approved minutes from Dec. 21, the commission:
* Met in executive session with Jackson County Clerk Kathy Mick for 20 minutes to discuss real estate acquisition. No action was taken back in open session.
* Heard a weekly report from Eric Fritz and Earl Bahret. Fritz asked if they could fill an open mechanic position, and the commissioners said they did not want the county to advertise the position at this time.
* Met in executive session with Fritz and Bahret for 10 minutes to discuss real estate acquisition. No action was taken back in open session.
* Met again in executive session with Fritz and Bahret for 10 minutes to discus real estate acquisition. No action was taken back in open session.
* Discussed whether the Fritz and Bahret had considered purchasing a skid loader after the first of the year. Banner Creek Reservoir Director John Kennedy would like one for maintenance work at the reservoir. If the road and bridge department purchased a new one, Kennedy said he would take the old one.
* Met with Jackson County Appraiser Jason Claycamp to discuss special use permits for erecting a tower in the county. Claycamp said that the zoning board could place a condition on the permit that would allow the county access to any new towers.
* Signed a purchase order for a Polaris 450 ATV from Heritage Tractor at a cost of $5,500. The ATV will be used at Banner Creek Reservoir. The reservoir’s current ATV will be traded in to purchase the machine, and the trade-in value was unavailable during the meeting.
* Met with Cindy Hower from Kellerman Insurance. The commissioners signed cancellation forms to dissolve the current liability insurance policy with OneBeacon.
* Met in executive session with County Counselor Alex Morrissey and Mick for 35 minutes to discuss a matter of attorney/client privilege. No action was taken back in open session.
* Met with Bahret to discuss installing a tube at 214th and Q.3 Roads.
* Unanimously approved a motion to reappoint Mellissa Morse to the KANZA Governing Board.
* Adjourned the meeting at 4:30 p.m.
