The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is hiring a new firm to handle medical services at the Berrien County Jail.
The board this week authorized Sheriff Paul Bailey and Chair Mac Elliot to sign a contract with VitalCore Health Strategies for medical services at the jail.
The county currently works with WellPath LLC for the services, first contracting with them in 2012 when the firm was called Correctional Healthcare Companies. Its contract with the county expires at the end of this year, and commissioners received four bids after seeking them.
After a committee consisting of sheriff’s department staff, the jail, and county commissioners interviewed all four, they selected VitalCore. It’s a three-year contract for $7.6 million.
The move by commissioners Thursday followed a meeting of the finance committee, which recommended the full body proceed.
