Wellpath reports improvements in inmate care at county jail | Local News

Santa Barbara County's jail health care provider has come under fire several times, prompting the county to look for a new provider, but Wellpath now reports that increased staffing has helped resolve some of the issues related to inmate care.

On Tuesday, the county board received an annual report from Wellpath on the care provided in 2023, including expanding the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program, creating three new mental health units and supporting patients upon their release from prison.

Wellpath has been the county jail's health care provider since 2017, but it has had several problems, including staffing shortages and code violations. The county's contract with Wellpath expires on March 31.

It also provides medical care to the Susan J. Gionfriddo Juvenile Justice Center and, before its closure, served the Los Prietos Boys Camp.

The sheriff's office also submitted a complaint report listing all complaints patients in the jails had with Wellpath in 2023.

Over the past year, Wellpath has expanded its services at the youth center. Wellpath's Dr. Carrick Adam said that after a study in 2022, it was found that a third of the youth center's inmates had used opioids in the past year.

In 2023, 16 adolescent patients participated in the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program. This year, according to Adam, 12 patients have already completed the program.

MAT uses clinically proven medications to treat substance abuse disorders. It has been used in prisons before, and last year Wellpath expanded the number of patients in the program to a total of 223 patients.

While Wellpath was able to treat more patients, the county's Department of Behavioral Health reported some compliance violations in the assessment of inmates on suicide watch.

Last year, there were five deaths in Santa Barbara County jails – two suicides, two drug overdoses and one alcohol withdrawal.

Santa Barbara County Second District Supervisor Laura Capps noted that the Department of Public and Behavioral Health found that follow-up visits for inmates who attempted suicide were scheduled but delayed or not conducted at all.

Brian Smith, Wellpath's regional operations manager, said monitoring patients discharged from suicide watch was a top priority, but staff were busy in other areas.

“That is a deficiency that has now been addressed. Our mental health staff have been reorganized to ensure that they do that,” Smith said.

He also noted that this problem has been addressed thanks to additional staffing the board approved earlier this year. Now, patients receive follow-up visits within 24 hours, three days and seven days of a suicide attempt.

One way Wellpath is trying to improve its performance is by implementing monthly meetings of a medical advisory committee. Smith said the meetings focus on tracking successes and areas for improvement.

Wellpath, the sheriff's office, the health department, the behavioral health department and county staff are all part of the committee. Smith said they analyze common problems to identify areas where improvements can be made.

“We make sure we identify those opportunities and address them as quickly as possible. And when changes are needed, we implement them and track their success,” Smith told the board.

The Sheriff's Office reported that 1,646 complaints were filed against Wellpath by inmates in 2023. Of those complaints, 543 were medical or mental health related, and 275 of those were specifically related to medical care provided to patients in the jails.

The sheriff's report does not provide specific details about the complaints, but according to the sheriff's office's annual complaint report, the majority of complaints were addressed in follow-up appointments. Thirty-one of these were duplicates of previously filed complaints. Twenty-five of these complaints were sustained and the majority were related to a delay in the delivery of services.

In addition, 119 complaints related to medications, 69 to the MAT program, 38 to mental health, and 27 to dental care.

Cassandra Marking, a lieutenant with the sheriff's office, said most of the complaints against MAT have been about the long wait times and the type of medications patients receive.

In addition, there were 15 complaints where the HIPPA release was not signed by the patient.

First District County Executive Das Williams asked Smith why complaints against Wellpath have increased, particularly at the county's main jail. In 2020, Wellpath received 263 complaints related to medical and mental health care, and the number has steadily increased since then, reaching 543 in 2023.

Smith said complaints had been related to wait times for admission to MAT and the type of medication patients were receiving, but increased staffing since last year had helped to resolve these issues. He also noted that the more patients being treated, the more complaints would be received.

The county's contract with Wellpath expires on March 31, at which time the county expects to enter into a five-year contract with a new provider. Bids are currently being sought for a new provider. The county expects to select a new provider late this year or in early 2025.