Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on creating a fulltime Physician’s Assistant (PA) position for the Correction’s Department.

There is a need in the jail for a higher level of medical care for inmates at the Williamson County Jail.  A Physician’s Assistant will be able to provide needed quality care for inmates and reduce the number of times that inmates are transported to local hospitals.  In addition to reducing medical bills, it will reduce ambulance transports and the expense of paying an officer to sit with the inmate (often for extended hours), which creates overtime.  $80,000 of the salary and benefits will be paid for by Bluebonnet Trails Community Center through a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant.  It is proposed that the delta needed to fund the position come from ARPA funding, as it meets the criteria by reducing the risk of contracting COVID in a hospital setting and providing medical care, while supporting a vulnerable population.  The prospective candidate for the PA position is licensed in the State of Texas by the Texas Medical Board and has clinical experience with both emergency medicine and mental health.