BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) – Amid a federal lawsuit over the mental and physical welfare of inmates at the Brown County jail, a plan has been announced to help improve services behind bars.
On Tuesday, Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach introduced a plan to spend over $250,000 next year to increase medical and mental health services in the county jail.
Streckenbach would not comment on the lawsuit, but says his plan to increase spending on jail services came from several conversations.
“Right now, obviously the county is in the middle of a lawsuit so I really can’t comment on that,” Streckenbach said, according to FOX 11. “I can say the dollars that are being proposed in this budget for these particular issues has really been about the community conversation that we’ve had.”
The county executive’s goal is to reduce recidivism in the jail and to, “help ensure the proper treatment of mental health inmates as they transition into the community.”
The breakdown of the money inside Brown County’s 2016 budget is this:
- $183,000 would go toward staffing the jail with a registered nurse 24/7 and an additional day each week of a counselor providing mental health services
- $84,000 for a clinical social worker to support inmates
According to Brown County Sheriff John Gossage, there is currently no nurse on duty during the overnight hours. Gossage says he’s received, “a variety of different complaints that inmates were not getting their medication in a timely manner when they’re being booked in.”
Streckenbach says the social worker would support inmates with mental health issues and work with them during their transition back into the community.
Brown County Human Services Director Erik Pritzel says the added spending will lead to reduced costs in other areas.
“If we don’t treat them in the community then we’re going to see them get involved with other systems which can often be more costly,” said Pritzel.
Streckenbach’s entire budget proposal will be considered by the county board, which can make changes. The 2016 budget begins January 1.
