County Officials Must Balance Budget with Quality of Mental Health Care in Contract Extension with Wellpath
The ongoing discussions about renewing the contract with Wellpath, the privately contracted healthcare provider for Santa Barbara County’s jail, have brought up concerns about the quality of mental health care provided and the breaches of the agreement that have gone unaddressed. Mental health advocates from the League of Women Voters urged supervisors to prioritize these issues during negotiations for a one-year extension. This would mark the second time that Wellpath has been given an extension.
The supervisors are facing a tough decision as Wellpath is essentially the only option for mental and medical healthcare treatment for inmates in the county. Although there are no other viable alternatives, it remains uncertain whether Santa Barbara County’s Public Health Department could take on the contract, as they had it around 20 years ago. The Sheriff’s Office has held 50 negotiating sessions with Wellpath but reaching an agreement has proven challenging due to the intricacies of the contract.
Recent audits have revealed that Wellpath did not meet minimum staffing levels during the COVID pandemic, and the Sheriff’s Office failed to enforce penalties outlined in the contract for non-compliance. There is discontent within county administration about the level of oversight by the sheriff, but legally and politically, the jail remains under their jurisdiction. The deadline for finalizing a new contract extension is June 30th.
