Peoria County is looking to consolidate eight separate health services between the Jail and Juvenile Detention Center under one provider. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports:
The Jail and juvenile detention center have separate medical, mental health, dental and pharmaceutical contracts. Those services cost more than $1 million each year between both facilities. County staff is now negotiating with Correct Care Solutions to run all the programs for a likely similar cost. But County Administrator Lori Curtis Luther says a new contract would formalize the jail and juvenile center’s relationship with the non-profit Human Service Center in order to provide longer-term help:
“We think there’s an integration of mental health services that we’re seeing more and more of a need for in both of these facilities. And we think that our ability to deal with these particular needs and plan appropriately for individuals upon discharge – so that once they leave our facilities they’re connected with services - may help our recidivism rates,” Luther says.
The contract, once negotiated, will head to a county committee likely in May. In other business, the county land use committee voted down proposed amendments to regulate the building of new craft distilleries and wineries in the County.