Putnam Commission to Consider New Jail Health System Monday

Putnam County Commissioners will consider a new healthcare contract for the county jail Monday.

The county’s Fiscal Review Committee approved a budget amendment for the sheriff’s office last week to cover the contract, doubling their budget to $1.3 million.

Commissioner Cindy Adams says the county will need to consider ways to potentially lower costs before the contract takes effect.

“I would like to see us look into hiring somebody ourselves (regarding doctors and nurses), either through the county health department or somehow have county employees that take care of this,” Adams says. “With this much money, even with liability insurance and paying some good, healthy salaries to medical people, we surely can bring it in for less than $1.3 million.”

The agreement allows the sheriff’s office to have additional nurses on-site while providing expanded mental health services to inmates. A new agreement with Cookeville Regional Medical Center and an electronic medical records system are also included.