SANTA BARBARA, CA - Inmates serving time in Santa Barbara County's jail system are guaranteed medical coverage during incarceration - a service that will carry a $10.3 million price tag over the next three years.

Both the Sheriff's and Probation departments renewed their contract last week with Prison Health Services (PHS) for three years, which enables the company to perform routine screenings of new inmates and treat nonemergency related illnesses.

This contract covers adults and children in county facilities, which have an average daily population of about 800 in county jails and 150 in juvenile halls. Juveniles serve an average of 14 days in custody, while adults typically stay a maximum of several years.

With a larger and older population base, the Sheriff's Department is responsible for the majority - $7.8 million - of the contract's total cost. Additionally, the department budgeted about $528,000 for pharmaceuticals and other incurred medical costs not covered under the contract for the upcoming year.

The Probation Department agreed to pay $2.5 million over the contract's life for medical services, with an additional $144,200 available for pharmaceuticals for this fiscal year.

“Anytime somebody's taken into custody and has their civil liberties removed, they are under the care and custody of the sheriff,” said Sgt. Erik Raney, of the Sheriff's Department. “It's our duty to make sure they are cared for with a place to sleep, use the restroom, receive proper meal services and medical care. That's all included in caring for somebody.”

When adults are taken into a county jail facility, they receive an initial screening, which includes a documentation of current illnesses and health problems, observation of behavior and a physical exam.

If the initial review reveals a chronic condition, emergency situation or contagious illness, PHS is required to conduct a full health assessment in 36 hours to determine the appropriate follow-up treatment. The county foots the bill for health care for inmates with pre-existing conditions, as state law requires local jurisdictions to provide adequate coverage to people in custody even if the medical condition existed before the crime, Raney said.

The initial physical is followed by an in-depth health screening within 14 days, to include a review of the person's health history, a thorough exam of the person's physical and mental condition and a tuberculosis test. Children booked into Juvenile Hall receive a similar health assessment within 96 hours of their arrival at the facility.

“These juveniles are entrusted in our care, and we have to have them in a safe and secure environment and provide them with reasonable nutrition and medical care,” said Patti Stewart, deputy chief institutions for the Probation Department.

The contract also requires PHS to provide medical care to inmates and detainees who request a sick call within three days at County Jail and preferably 24 hours in Juvenile Hall.

However, the company's staff is not equipped to handle emergency situations, which may be stabilized at the facility but then are forwarded to the closest hospital. Paying for these visits and officers at hospital rooms costs additional money that comes from the departments' annual operating budget, Raney said.

“This is typical and figured into our budget,” Raney said. “We have to foot the bill for medical treatment.”

Also figured into the contract is a requirement that PHS hold liability insurance in case an inmate ever sues for medical malpractice. While the company would be the primary agent responsible, Raney acknowledged that the county would likely be connected to any future litigation due to its responsibility to provide adequate medical care.