Glasgow, KY – The Barren County Jail Committee of the Barren Fiscal Court met Friday to discuss the renewal of their healthcare provider services at the detention center. In light of recent lawsuits within the state, Jailer Aaron Shirley is proposing that the county renew the contract with Comprehensive Correctional Care. Those lawsuits pertain to the issue of inmates being denied controlled substance treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.
In a press release Wednesday, the United States Attorney’s office reminded correctional facilities “that refusing to provide required care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) can violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office intends to diligently enforce those protections.
The ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, protects individuals with OUD and their access to treatment, including treatment with FDA-approved medication. The FDA has approved three medications to treat OUD: buprenorphine (Suboxone), methadone, and vivitrol. The ADA prohibits correctional facilities from categorically denying incarcerated individuals access to OUD medication, without individually assessing whether such medication is medically necessary to treat their disability. Policies or practices that likely violate the ADA include not only blanket denials of medication for OUD treatment, but also screening people from treatment based on criteria unrelated to individual medical need.”
Shirley, in the committee meeting, says renewing the contract with Comprehensive Correctional Care, will place all medical liability on the healthcare provider.
Audio Player
According to the press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, “since 2022, the office has entered into three settlement agreements resolving allegations of discrimination against individuals with OUD: with a medical center, a Central Kentucky detention center, and an Eastern Kentucky detention center. The two agreements with detention centers involved allegations that the facilities failed to provide patients with medication for OUD.”
Committee Chair and Magistrate Tim Durham along with Magistrate Tim Coomer verified that the money was in the jail budget to renew the contract and the matter will be on the agenda for the fiscal court meeting on Tuesday, April 16th. Durham also commended Jailer Shirley on managing that budget, which was less than the previous year’s budget.
