It is budgeting time in counties across the region. A recurring theme for fiscal 2019 seems to be a call for more money for jails. And, the costs for dealing with the opioid crisis are factoring into those spending requests.
![Paul Monroe, Sheriff of Trumbull County](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/59d35e9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/200x250+0+0/resize/880x1100!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwksu%2Ffiles%2F201811%2Fpaul_monroe_trumbull_county_sheriff.jpg)
Trumbull County SheriffPaul Monroe says medical treatment for the influx of drug-addicted inmates is an issue in his request for a million and a half more dollars for the jail.
But he says his department is looking at a way to get greater cost- efficiency in giving medical care. He’s talking with hospitals about them bidding, competitively, on providing medical attention. “We’re trying to establish a proper protocol. Let’s say Cleveland Clinic is interested and we’re trying to work this with them. We would have to put out a competitive bid and give all the hospitals a shot at this. Not just the one hospital.”
The Sheriff says the jail now provides more detox treatment than any other agency or caregiver in Trumbull County.