Bill Watson, director of court services, told the Vigo County Budget Committee on Oct. 9 that the juvenile detention center’s medical contract — previously paid from the sheriff’s budget under an MOU — has become a funding issue as the facility returns to day-to-day control of the circuit court judge on Jan. 1.

Watson said the county had discussed using the juvenile center’s nonreverting fund to cover medical costs but that county council members had objected because the expense had historically been included in the sheriff’s medical budget. “Judge Mulligan’s decided that she wants that all to come back under the court and operate as all the other court offices and services do,” Watson said.

Why it matters: The nonreverting fund will not sustain both a full-time position currently paid from the fund and the juvenile medical contract at the same time, Watson said. Committee members were told the county is facing a choice about staffing and how to fund recurring medical costs once the court resumes control.

Watson described a cost-saving staffing proposal: hire a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to perform daily on-site clinical duties and cross-train the LPN as a custody officer, with a family nurse practitioner contracted part time to provide clinical oversight. Watson said the change would replace the current arrangement of an RN and a physician under the jail contract, and “I have found a way to reduce that significantly and keep the same type of health care coverage and services they have in the juvenile center now.”

Watson estimated a ballpark cost “somewhere in the $100,000 range” for the new staffing approach but did not provide a firm salary figure. He said an alternative figure discussed previously for physician-level services under the new jail contract was about $246,000 and that council discussion had centered on a request of roughly $190,000 to $246,000 to cover the contract if no other changes were made.

Committee members discussed timing: a council appropriation request had been talked about for the November meeting, and officials noted some payments must be addressed “before November 30” under the timing explained in the budget discussion. County staff provided a balance for the juvenile nonreverting account of $571,083 as of Aug. 31.

Watson said the juvenile center’s population and revenue mix has changed: as of the morning of the meeting the center had 19 youths in custody, most local rather than out-of-county placements that previously brought revenue into the fund. He said the county will likely keep a small number of out-of-county placements but that the historic revenue stream that grew the nonreverting fund “is only gonna go down.”

The committee did not take formal action during the discussion. Watson said Judge Mulligan had asked him to seek alternative ways to reduce medical costs before the judge resumes daily oversight on Jan. 1.

Looking ahead: Watson said if the county moves a position currently paid from the nonreverting fund onto the county payroll it will need to be included in the salary ordinance and that the transition cannot be finalized until the court assumes day-to-day control.