Today, Sheriff Joe Roybal announced a new contract with healthcare provider, VitalCore Health Strategies, to serve the incarcerated citizens at the El Paso County Jail. VitalCore replaces the previous provider, Wellpath, which provided services from January 1, 2020 - Dec 31, 2023.
The contract between VitalCore and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office began on January 1st, 2024, and will cost $11,047,188.68 in 2024. This contract has an improved, negotiated cap increase, which is not to exceed 3.9% over a five-year period. The previous contract had a negotiated rate of 5% over a five-year period.
The contract is multi-faceted, touching on many aspects of inmate care. Of note, VitalCore has intentionally partnered with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Jail Based Behavioral Services (JBBS) to provide continuity of information and expansion of services, to better serve the needs of our incarcerated citizens.
“I do not take lightly the stewardship responsibilities given to me as Sheriff of El Paso County and I am focused on making the Pikes Peak region a safe place for all citizens to live, including those who are incarcerated,” said Sheriff Joe Roybal.
“Immediately after being elected to serve as Sheriff, I began the process of evaluating many key operations across the Office. Providing medical care to those housed in the El Paso County Jail is not only statutorily mandated, but it also represents the largest single contract impacting my budget. It was imperative to ensure we had the best available medical contractor providing services within the walls of the Jail.
“Unfortunately, the majority of those housed in our jail have prior existing undertreated or undiagnosed medical issues, such as drug addictions or chronic mental health issues, which require an extra level of care while in our custody.
“It was vital for us to find a medical provider who had the experience and capability to address these unique needs and adapt to our rapidly changing population.
“I am encouraged by our new partnership with VitalCore and look forward to our collaboration.”
https://youtu.be/C7xzdPFj5bQ