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| More Funds Sought for Inmate Care at Florida Jail |
| By Stuart News |
| Published: 10/07/2002 |
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Overcrowded and lacking medical personnel, the St. Lucie County jail needs more money for health care and soon, Sheriff Ken Mascara said. Mascara this week asked the county to provide $230,352 more toward the jail's detention budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The jail needs the money to cope with an increase of inmates with infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, pregnant inmates and those with mental health problems, Mascara stated in a memo to the county. At times, the facility handles 200 more inmates than its capacity of 768, which means some have to sleep on floors, Mascara said. The population at the jail on September 26 was 932. The jail has the highest rate of AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis in the state, Mascara said. Prison Health Services the company that provides health care service at the jail raised its contract fees for the coming year to meet the additional demand. The County Commission last week approved a $315.8 million budget for 2002-03, including $1.78 million for the sheriff's office detention needs. It can be difficult to make changes because the budget has been approved, County Administrator Doug Anderson said. He forwarded the item to the Citizens' Budget Committee, which will address the issue Oct. 4. As an alternative, the sheriff's office should find a more efficient way to deliver medical services, Anderson said. Mascara said the jail has reduced costs and Prison Health Services juggled its staff in June to compensate for five unfilled medical positions. The annual cost per inmate will be $2,243 with the proposed increase in health care costs, which is comparable with similar-sized counties in the state, Mascara said. Sarasota County's annual cost per inmate is $2,085 and Hillsborough County's is $3,296. |
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