FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to terminate a contract with Evergreen Behavioral Services, which provides mental health and substance abuse services at the county jail.

The termination will take effect Friday. The county has an interim plan to provide services until requests for proposals can be submitted.

This is not punitive, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said.

There has been a changeover in staff at the agency, and the jail would not have access to the licensed and certified staff necessary to be in compliance with the Maine Department of Corrections’ standards, he said.

Evergreen, a division of Maine Behavioral Healthcare, is in its third year of a contract to provide services to inmates at the jail. The contract was set to expire in the spring of 2020.

Two people who have provided mental health and substance abuse services with Evergreen will continue to provide services at the jail as Sinskie Therapy Services, County Clerk Julie Magoon said.

The county will put together a request for proposals to provide the services.

In other matters, commissioners approved corrections officer John Welch of New Sharon to become the new custodian. He will replace Ray Lee, whose last day was Aug. 30, Jail Administrator Douglass Blauvelt said.

Welch has 20 years of experience in construction and is a certified corrections officer, Blauvelt said. Welch is also the New Sharon fire chief. He will be leaving the union and going into a nonunion position, Magoon said. Welch will carry forward his seniority and time.

Commissioners also rescheduled the next commission meeting to 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16, at the Franklin County Courthouse.

 

 

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