County renews jail health contract
May 28—It'll cost a bit more, but the Henderson County Sheriff's Office is entering a new contract with Southern Health Partners for service at the detention center.
HCSO has had a contract with Southern Health Partners since 2010. The company has more than 25 years experience in developing medical programs for detention centers.
Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said when the new contract goes into effect in October the cost will increase by 4%.
"It's written in the contract that they can go up a small percentage every year and this is only the third or fourth time they've chosen to do this," he said.
In 2020, the contract was changed to provide a full time nurse. That didn't work out as well as expected, Hillhouse said, so the service was changed to provide a med-tech who would get medications ready for the inmates.
County Judge Wade McKinney said the relationship with Southern Health Partners has been much better than how health care was administered in the jail before 2010.
"We used to have to go out for bid for medications and it was quite expensive," he said.
In other action, Commissioners approved resolutions pertaining to a Community Development Block Grant to aid the Crescent Heights Water Supply Company. Growth in the area around Farm-to-Market Roads 59 and 753 created a need for upgrades to the system.
Crescent Heights will use the funds to extend water lines to help alleviate the problem and prepare for growth.
Commissioners also voted to proclaim the month of June, Fair Housing Month. In a 1968 bill, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson made it unlawful to discriminate in housing transactions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or family status.
On another item, Commissioners authorized payment of bills totaling $382,058.50.
