HENRY COUNTY, Va. (rbs news now) — The Henry County Adult Detention Center (ADC) will transition all inmate medical services from private contractor Wellpath to in-house staff employed by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office beginning July 1.

The decision, which follows months of internal evaluation and consultation with the county administration and board of supervisors, comes amid concerns over Wellpath’s performance and rising costs, Sheriff Wayne Davis told rbs news now on May 29.

“There were a couple of problems with that system. Number one, we didn’t have a lot of oversight over those employees, and one of the other problems we had is they failed to meet the requirements of the staffing matrix that was in the contract,” Sheriff Davis.

Davis also said that Wellpath recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Under the new model, all medical staff—including one part-time doctor, one part-time nurse practitioner, and 12 full-time employees such as RNs, LPNs, and CMTs—will be employed directly by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

Employees will receive state retirement benefits and county insurance.

“In essence, to sum it up—we can provide a higher level of medical care with more oversight while saving the taxpayers money,” Sheriff Davis said.

The current contract with Wellpath costs the county $1.7 million annually and was set to increase to $1.94 million beginning July 1.

Davis said the switch to county-employed staff could save taxpayers as much as $1 million annually, though he acknowledged actual savings will depend on operational factors such as overtime.

“We do know it will be a substantial savings to the taxpayer,” he said.

Sheriff Davis said the shift also addresses complaints from families of inmates regarding inadequate care.

“We do strive to ensure that everyone receives the medical care that they need and deserve here,” Davis said. “These employees work for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. They’re fully accountable to us. We can control the staffing matrix and ensure that we have adequate personnel here, ensure that they’re doing their job.”

Davis said that the primary goals of the move are to improve service quality and reduce costs.

“It’s my opinion that anytime we can provide a better service and save money, it’s an absolute win-win.”

The ADC provides 24/7 care for its inmates and will continue uninterrupted medical operations as the transition takes effect.

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