Supervisors approve third-party medical services at juvenile hall

The Tri-county Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility has employed its own medical staff since 2016, but faces an urgent situation with that position vacant.

Yuba County supervisors approved a recommendation from staff at Tuesday’s board meeting to contract a third party to lockdown long-term services for the facility – a plan involving hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Staff’s recommendation was for the county to hire California Forensic Medical Group Inc. (CFMG) to provide medical and mental health services – something the group already provides the Yuba County Jail. The ask was for the county to amend its current contract with CFMG to include juvenile hall.

After managing its own medical services, county staff believe it’s the appropriate time to contract with a third party, said Jim Arnold, chief probation officer with the county.

Prior to 2013, the facility received medical services through a joint effort that included the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office, the Jail Division and the Yuba County Health Department. Then, in 2016, the facility began to employ its own medical staff (when its own staff was unavailable, the sheriff’s office provided medical assistance).

In September 2017, the county entered into a contract with CFMG to provide services to the jail. The initial plan was to include juvenile hall as well, but officials opted to keep their in-house medical staff and continue receiving mental health services from Sutter-yuba Behavioral Health.

Juvenile hall has faced ongoing challenges with hiring and retaining qualified medical staff, the inability to rely on coverage from the sheriff’s department or public health for services, and meeting increasing expectations statewide regarding the standard of care in juvenile facilities, Arnold said in a staff report.

CFMG has the ability to provide the services juvenile hall needs, but the agreement requires additional funds from the participating counties – Yuba, Sutter and Colusa.

The first year of the contract will cost an estimated $561,564. In the current fiscal year budget, Yuba County appropriated $204,175 for medical staff and services at the facility – that means there is a deficit of $357,389. The plan is to have the county cover 44 percent of the shortfall – or $157,251 from the general fund. Sutter and Colusa counties would chip in another $200,138 to cover the rest.

Because the facility’s medical staff recently ended their employment, Arnold said juvenile hall is in an urgent situation. For the time being, officials have worked out a deal with CFMG to provide medical services temporarily until the long-term deal comes to fruition.

Arnold said CFMG still needs to hire staff to fulfill the contract. He said the goal is to have the new team working at the facility by Nov. 1.