[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6743651,"mediaKeyId","5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa","parentId",5331534,"title","Delaware County warden cites rising behavioral-health needs, hospital transports and budget pressures at July oversight board meeting","audioSeconds",1199,"startMs",385000,"endMs",1584000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa&start=385&end=1584","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa/thumbnail_385000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6743651/Delaware-County/Pennsylvania/Delaware-County-warden-cites-rising-behavioral-health-needs-hospital-transports-and-budget-pressures-at-July-oversight-board-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743651-1aa3ccde5e7ebcbe53c6b4712b442e1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971156&Signature=jYMkHuIHZifUgsKomdIQlKPjxi23N0-2CPABPuqrGIb7LdpyMxspJl7FcGqgn6auaI6rTk0DjAC3ImyG4D2JStnzirdn4BXjKO6DF1c2603UGhcaOtQxILqdFSpE0S0F0vZsHWvk59A3PzTLOpvCPeSmSWDyHIiX8c8dCoHLQsugQ~YC8FgUkvjpb2bklBl4qQyC484H~exaWFhxhwNKQXVcLV-QIex4cV0OWh-S5Io0HIPZscTXncKt5xsa8pab70SWkm1wiL0HvOL~888pVx07j4SIheb6Dy4uQKCuFVcxxkBLoDmBsxDcw6F-i~Ec9w818hUSJiNwIv~8oDPKlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Delaware County, PA","date","2025-01-02T18:52:04Z","article","Warden William R. Williams told the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board at its July meeting that the county's correctional facility is managing a stable but still sizable population while seeing rising behavioral-health needs that increase costs and staffing demands.

\"This morning's population, we had 1,082 incarcerated persons,\" Williams said, and he reported 502 commitments and 514 discharges for the month cited. He said the share of people identified with any mental illness rose from about 69.6% to 73.8% and that inductions into medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD/MAT) were higher than recent months, with 22 inductions in the reporting month and 165 people engaged in MAT as of the meeting.

Those changes matter for the county budget, Williams said, because Pennsylvania law suspends Medical Assistance benefits during incarceration, leaving the county taxpayer responsible for medical and behavioral-health care in custody. He told the board the facility made 280 transports to outside hospitals in the reporting period to obtain care beyond what the jail can safely provide.

The warden provided a breakdown of the facility's operating budget: about 56% personnel costs, roughly 21% health-care costs, 18% administration (supplies, contracts and insurance) and 5% dietary. He said overtime is driven not only by vacancies but by hospital watches, court scheduling and unplanned incidents: \"Every single time we have to have somebody at a hospital, we send our staff to do that watch,\" Williams said, noting those details require two officers per inmate, three shifts a day.

Board members and staff discussed the effect of regional hospital closures such as Crozer on care access and county costs. Williams and others said closures can reduce community services and increase reliance on the county jail as a behavioral-health safety net.

Williams also outlined capital investments intended to reduce infrastructure risk and operating pressure. Two major projects are under way: a roof and HVAC replacement expected to conclude later this calendar year and an electronic security and surveillance upgrade scheduled for completion in 2027. The county has committed more than $50 million in capital work at the facility since it assumed control, he said.

Why it matters: The combination of high medical need, frequent hospital transports and the county's statutory limits on reimbursement mean the jail's operating budget is sensitive to trends in community behavioral-health services and to the cost of staff needed for safety and medical watches.

Sources and attributions: Warden Williams presented population and program figures during the warden's report. Board Chair Wharton and Director O'Malley participated in budget discussion and asked clarifying questions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jail Oversight Board Meeting 7.8.25 4:30p","oneSentenceSummary","Warden William R. Williams told the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board at its July meeting that the facility is managing a stable but still sizable population while seeing rising behavioral-health needs that increase costs and staffing demands.","taxTitle","Delaware County, Pennsylvania","taxId",52111,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6743642,"Aramark outlines staffing, diet services and commissary delivery; public commenter raises concerns about medical care, contraband and portion sizes",0,4586000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa&start=4586&end=4586","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa/thumbnail_4586000.jpg","/articles/6743642/Delaware-County/Pennsylvania/Aramark-outlines-staffing-diet-services-and-commissary-delivery-public-commenter-raises-concerns-about-medical-care-contraband-and-portion-sizes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743642-b70b59f74f8ec74f9ca4e0d468a5d23f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971156&Signature=S9rtRcMwy9Z0SwRjredcqG9cBCb-WdF1b4lUbTTg4ZuoQecekRQvoDAqPzbf9refOjxrAKXstB0wY3c~EjNTbUpJlPZy0Y5VFWobQ2K3qBMH4Vy7Eu3QMZ1Zw6hh5a4j8jjKt7HUQwerSadQshuscY3AgjHBeKZZ0n4yEDMRKZb6woDIyLEX0ghTLMBHagv85Yteb2mJ5ZU1MgirJQxlQkIcBltxcKLzKKM4m4POpGOhTqMBojg3121NMH3ZFJp9sstJY-Dx7HoZ9CRyRoMxeaWEIaoD6d67ihWX91tIVw0TOJbAN2BmxyZpo49LbzzLUB5gYV-hnel5scU6ic80GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Aramark, the vendor contracted to provide dietary and commissary services at George W. Hill Correctional Facility, presented a reorganized regional support team, its medical nutrition therapy processes and its commissary delivery schedule to the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board in July.

Lisa Strecker, Aramark corrections director/trainer, introduced the regional team and said the reorganization focused on geographic coverage so support staff can reach the site more quickly. Julia Dunnigan, a registered dietitian with Aramark, described how the vendor constructs medical diets by altering the general population menu to meet clinical prescriptions (for example, diabetes or renal diets) and produces tray-build guidance for kitchen staff. Dunnigan emphasized medical diets are prescribed by the facility's medical team and that Aramark provides nutritional detail to clinicians.

Aramark said commissary orders are placed by incarcerated people via the facility's ordering system Sunday through Wednesday; orders are picked and packed at an off-site Aramark warehouse and delivered to the facility on Mondays with unit-sorted deliveries Tuesday through Thursday and Friday makeup deliveries.

Aramark also described an \"End of Work\" vocational program (kitchen basics and food-service management) tied to ServSafe certification; the vendor said it is a second-chance employer and offers a QR-code-based reentry connection for graduates seeking jobs.

Public commenter Kimberly Brown raised multiple concerns during the final public-comment period: she said the medical department is understaffed, described alleged incidents of physical assaults and lack of water in cells, criticized reduced phone access for people leaving custody and said synthetic cannabinoid (\"K2\") availability undermines programming. Brown also said portions from the commissary and Aramark-prepared meals were too small. The board did not take formal action on the comments but the concerns were recorded for follow-up.

Why it matters: Food service, medical diets and commissary access affect health and daily living conditions inside the facility. Public complaints about medical care, contraband and portions are matters the board may address through follow-up with facility leadership and the vendor.

Attributions: Aramark presenters included Lisa Strecker (corrections director/trainer), Julia Dunnigan (registered dietitian) and Matt Geiler (training/vocational support). Kimberly Brown spoke during public comment.","Aramark representatives described a regional support team, the dietitian'created medical-diet program, vocational \"End of Work\" training and an off-site commissary picking/packing schedule. In public comment, a resident criticized medical staffing, alleged drug availability in programs and small commissary portions.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6743647,"Delaware County oversight board hears program and reentry updates; staff say capacity limits slow PREP 2 enrollment",659,3333000,3992000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa&start=3333&end=3992","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5331534-32f3715f2a733f4fd3d1e7751c6069fa/thumbnail_3333000.jpg","/articles/6743647/Delaware-County/Pennsylvania/Delaware-County-oversight-board-hears-program-and-reentry-updates-staff-say-capacity-limits-slow-PREP-2-enrollment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6743647-0e04b1b75d67ea61d88fc75c72ecda8d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770971156&Signature=f7yAg3BP6Zx-q82SCHWwc-en2Tw-cIrRu3vzsReuzNM8uoxyWlp5PMl3bQrCS034teFA3ArggYRqQhM1Bxoa5ai0JrD7jB9X0afOj-JRvX-XUh4XlFzDf77pL7AUX2r7ALiFJKXHnkAns1oJR1lNHrKr7NWC0qP45o~0kAxsRggkNjXyd7cyB29JXnLeYy2DfMDnROvgSPnDbqUgQBE~bAX9t~mLKO2qS2N~Wzj1wjxnHhIPROIhBlyTASgeOjYz9~XshqjPZ4UzTV85LixMHrR27wr653LnN0CloTxQDkb~-POOs8ozcJY42X7Qf22VBFzk7dbnMetQo28bAEbHgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Program and reentry staff told the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board in July that education, substance-use and reentry programming continue to produce measurable outcomes but are constrained by staff capacity and enrollment logistics.

Kelly Shaw, program and reentry administrator, reported that grant-funded reentry work through Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) had three referrals in June and that First Step job-readiness cohorts were active: one cohort completed with eight sign-ups and six graduates, another remained in session. Shaw also reviewed New Leash on Life, a 12-week dog-handler program: handlers train dogs, develop job readiness skills and may transition to paid internships after release.

Warden Williams and program staff described substance-use services. PREP 1 is open enrollment and admits weekly; PREP 2 is a closed 12-week curriculum often stipulated by courts. Staff said PREP 2 can create delays when qualified facilitators are not available, which can extend the time a person waits to complete court-ordered programming. That delay has budget and custody implications, Williams said, because longer detention periods can increase costs.

Education outcomes were highlighted: 20 incarcerated people earned a GED in the quarter, and the facility reported a 62% passing rate among test takers, a rate staff said is above typical correctional averages. Staff also reported 164 people participated in a career and resource fair, and Aramark's vocational class (ServSafe certification) has graduated participants and plans to relaunch in September.

Why it matters: Court-ordered treatment, program capacity and reentry supports affect how long people remain in custody and whether they have services on release. Staff asked the board to consider additional staffing to reduce enrollment lag for closed programs and expand offerings tied to reentry and employment.

Attributions: Kelly Shaw (program and reentry administrator) and Warden Williams provided program and enrollment data during the presentations. Pat O'Connor was referenced as the substance-use director leading program recommendations.","Officials described PREP 1 and PREP 2 substance-use programming, reentry and education outcomes and vacancies in program staff. The board heard that PREP 2's closed enrollment and facilitator shortages can create enrollment lags that affect court-ordered treatment timelines.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Delaware County warden cites rising behavioral-health needs, hospital transports and budget pressures at July oversight board meeting

Aramark outlines staffing, diet services and commissary delivery; public commenter raises concerns about medical care, contraband and portion sizes

Delaware County oversight board hears program and reentry updates; staff say capacity limits slow PREP 2 enrollment