Daviess County has been selected to be part of a pilot project that would provide county jail inmates better mental and medical health care after they are out of jail.
The project was approved by the Indiana General Assembly and will involve 4 Indiana counties. The Daviess County Commissioners on Monday gave their approval to be part of the project.
County Commissioner Nathan Gabhart explains that the project is meant to address the high prevalence of mental health in county jails. While in jail, the inmates gets the meds and treatment they need, however after they are released the treatment and medication ends because the offenders have no medical coverage..
Gabhart says local inmates would be enrolled into medicaid which would cover a large portion of the cost as opposed to having local tax money pay the price. Gabhart says the overall cost does not change, but who pays for it does. He says taxpayers benefit because currently local monies pay full cost but under the program medicaid would reimburse the county two thirds of the monies spent.