(The Center Square) – Spokane County officials are weighing their options after an initial search to contract medical services for the nearby jails failed to garner any response, leaving them scrambling for a solution.
The current agreement with Everhealth will expire at the end of January after contracting with Detention Services for more than seven years. The provider supplies medical, dental and pharmacy services; however, the county handles behavioral health in-house, which could soon change.
The Board of County Commissioners issued a request for proposal last March, but it failed to garner any responses, including from Everhealth. Feedback later revealed that vendors were unwilling to bid on the contract unless it also included a provision for behavioral health services.
On Tuesday, the commissioners weighed two options: provide all the services in-house or award a new three-year contract to Everhealth, the only response to a subsequent RFP in August.
“If we’re going to be expected to make a decision next week … are you going to have the resolutions already prepared,” Commissioner Al French asked the Law & Justice Department, “so that we can pull the trigger on the one gun or pull the trigger on the other one.”
Spokane County previously handled all the services in-house but resorted to Everhealth after having difficulties staffing the positions. If the county returned to its prior model, contracting the services would cost as much as $15.7 million for 2025, with in-house starting at $9.3 million.
Providing the services in-house might seem cheaper, but it would require staffing roughly 52 positions, which was an issue last time. The county would also need to implement technology, liability insurance and other means to support the services at an additional cost.
The Spokane Regional Law & Justice Department noted that bringing the services in-house would far exceed the $9.3 million for staffing but didn’t elaborate on a total cost.
Everhealth’s proposal would expand its services to include behavioral health by this spring and its dedicated full-time positions from around 43 to over 60. County staff told the board that Everhealth would be required to reimburse them monthly for any funded position it fails to staff.
While the county budgeted $9.5 million for last year’s medical contract, mental health sales tax revenue and partner contributions took the responsibility down to $7.64 million. The county’s responsibility this year is $12.49 million, 63% more than last year, of the $15.7 million total.
“You have options,” said Ken Moore, a project manager with the county. “Option 1, which is bringing all medical services back in-house … and then you have Option 2, which is to contract all medical services out, including mental health.”
The Board of County Commissioners will make a final decision during its meeting on Jan. 27.
