This addition has 26 beds for inmates.
Ribbon cutting of the new Medical Unit at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. (nov.22,2024)
Frederick, Md (KM) A ribbon cutting was held on Friday for a new medical unit at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. The facility is 14,046 square feet, and has three exam rooms for male inmates, and two exam rooms for female inmates. It also has a dental suit, X-ray room, mental health offices and interview rooms, and a secure pharmacy room.
Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, who was on hand for the ribbing cutting, said the county started talking about this need for this project in 2015. “Our medical unit was far long obsolete, and not nearly enough to serve the inmate population in Frederick County,” he said,.
“So this project was initially approved in the FY 2018 Frederick County Capital Budget.” he continues. “The architectural and design plans were finalized in FY 2019. Construction was awarded to Towson Mechanical with notice to begin construction in 2022, and here we are today.”
This new facility costs $15,328,603 with 50 percent of the funding coming from the state.
“The inmate housing unit in this new medical unit consists of eight medical wards or 15 beds for male inmates; four wards or seven beds for female inmates; three negative airflow rooms; three beds for airborne diseases; one cell for juveniles, and one safe room,:” says Jenkins.
He says there’s one benefit from having these services readily available in one location. “We also believe the expanded services are going to go a long way in reducing the medical transports to the hospital,” Jenkins says. “We expand our abilities here. We cut down on the transports. So again that potentially saves the county thousands of dollars in medical expenses and overtime for the correctional offices.”
In the medical unit, the Sheriff’s Office says each cell has its own TV, use of a tablet for education, phone calls and video conferencing. Video visitation is expected in the future. The Medical Unit also has its own recreation space.
The construction of this unit includes structural capabilities to compensate for a future second floor for additional inmate housing.
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‘So if you’re not aware, we do currently provide a full range of services for inmates. We have for many, many years. But this is really going to enhance our abilities to handle more, and keep that flow going and give everybody what they need in the jail, especially the mental health services, dental and everything that goes with that,” Sheriff Jenkins says.
The facility will be run by Wellpath, which its website says provides high quality care for vulnerable adults in a challenging clinical environment.
By Kevin McManus