Shelby County commission to consider $38 million jail healthcare contract

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Shelby County commissioners will discuss a resolution to hire Wexford Health Sources when they meet Wednesday.

The resolution would pay Wexford nearly $38 million to take over care of inmates and detainees at the Shelby County Jail, Jail East and the Youth Justice Education Center.

Wellpath informed the county in August it would not continue offering its services. The company had been named in several lawsuits over the years over inmate deaths.

Wellpath’s contract officially ends at the end of the month, but the company told the county it will stay on until a new vendor takes over.

Just City, a nonprofit with the goal of improving the legal system and jail, said it wants the city to pick the best provider, not just the cheapest.

“We want the county commission to pass a statutory requirement that the purchasing committee and the commission choose the healthcare provider with the best clinic outcomes, not the healthcare provider that’s the cheapest...the job of the healthcare provider is to keep people health and alive,” said Laramie Wheeler, communications and advocacy manager for Just City.

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