Jan 24, 2014 2 min read

The Washington County commissioners are expected to enter into an agreement with Progressive Medical Specialists of Houston to provide narcotic-addiction treatment to pregnant jail inmates.

The proposal Warden John Temas brought before the prison board Wednesday will cost $95 a week per inmate for methadone treatment during the current calendar year.

Among its female inmate population of 52, the jail currently houses one opioid-addicted mother-to-be, Temas and Deputy Warden Donald Waugh noted after the prison board meeting. Heroin, morphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone and oxycodone are commonly abused opioids.

“It’s a medical condition that needs to be treated,” Temas said. In the past, an addicted pregnant inmate would likely be sent to a hospital for treatment.

“It’s starting to happen more often,” Temas said. “Seeing an increase in the number of pregnant incarcerated women requires an increase in services. It only happens sporadically.”

As of the end of 2013, 39 female inmates were awaiting trial or sentencing. The jail also housed 282 male inmates at the end of the year, 177 who were awaiting trial or sentencing.

In another matter related to the jail, Temas asked the board to renew the Pennsylvania Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification program, provided to the jail through a grant from the state Commission on Crime and Delinquency to let victims know of developments in perpetrators’ cases.

The program automatically notifies a victim of an offender’s escape, apprehension, date of release or permission to leave the facility on work release. Washington County’s share for the service is about $4,300.