Multnomah County officials are proposing to allocate $200,000 in contingency funds towards initiatives aimed at improving relations between the sheriff’s office and the county’s health department. The decision to allocate funds for this purpose follows a report by a National Institute of Corrections consultant that highlighted “serious health care and operations issues in the Multnomah jail system.”
The goal of this proposal is to immediately begin efforts to de-silo the sheriff’s office and Corrections Health and build a better working relationship between the two organizations responsible for inmate welfare. According to spokeswoman Sarah Dean, “We want to address the concerns raised about the well-being of jail inmates following a series of inmate deaths last year.”
One recommendation that emerged from the report was the hiring of a “CEO” of jail health services independent of the health department. While this suggestion could still be considered, Dean stated that the sheriff is launching a corrections recommendation project to assess the findings of various reports and take action on the recommendations, which may include exploring a third-party position.
The County Board of Commissioners is set to consider this proposal on May 2. If approved, these funds will help improve communication and collaboration between two critical departments responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of jail inmates.