In-House Medical Staff Hired As Oklahoma Co. Jail Prepares For Provider Change

The deadline looms to find another medical provider for the Oklahoma County Jail. The partnership with Turn Key Health Clinics ends on Wednesday. While there is no new provider signed on to take over yet, there is a plan in place to take care of the detainees.

“There is a lot of pressure we only have a few more days left,” said OCDC CEO Brandi Garner.

Garner says that pressure has forced some quick decisions to make sure the more than 1,500 detainees inside the jail have medical care. “I do not anticipate any disruption,” she said.  Garner presented her plan to the jail trust on Monday. “There is a lot of pressure we only have a few more days left, and we've been working very diligently to stand up on in-house medical at the same time we're also trying to put together a request for a proposal so we may be able to find another vendor to come in,” Garner said.

Turn Key Health Clinics announced last month it is ending it partnership with the detention center due to insufficient security staff for providers. “It gives us an opportunity to look at how we've been doing things and maybe there's better ways we could achieve more positive outcomes,” Garner said. 

Groups like the People’s Council for Justice Reform have called for this change after more than four detainees have died this year, including Debra Stanton’s son, Derek Strother, who died of an accidental overdose. “It should be the hospital that takes over,” Stanton said. “Because they are governed by the government and they're highly accountable, and that way, we know that they're being taken care of.”

Until another medical provider is secured, Garner says the jail will provide in-house medical and mental healthcare and has already hired 62 medical staff members who were previously working for Turn Key. “It gives us an opportunity to look at how we've been doing things and maybe there's better ways we could achieve more positive outcomes,” Garner said.  

Garner says they are looking at all their options including in-house care versus a new provider. “A lot of it's going to depend on what it's going to cost to have another vendor come in some preliminary estimates have indicated that it's going to be pretty expensive so we're just looking at all of our options right now while making sure that we are providing continuity of care,” Garner said.

Jail officials say they hope to get the request for proposal out as soon as possible to start getting in bids for a new provider.