(a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following words, terms and phrases are defined as follows:
Detention facility. A county jail used for the detention of persons charged with, or convicted of, either a felony, a misdemeanor, or a municipal offense.
Inmate. A person who is detained in a detention facility by reason of being charged with, or convicted of, a felony, a misdemeanor, or a municipal offense.
Medical treatment. Each visit initiated by the inmate to an institutional physician; physician’s extender, including a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner; dentist, optometrist; or psychiatrist for examination or treatment.
(b) Deductions from an inmate’s account authorized. The County Community Services Director may establish, by rules, criteria for a reasonable deduction from money credited to the account of an inmate to:
(1) Repay the costs of:
a. Public property willfully damaged or destroyed by the inmate during his incarceration;
b. Medical treatment for injuries inflicted by the inmate upon himself or others;
c. Searching for and apprehending the inmate when he escapes or attempts to escape, the costs to be limited to those extraordinary costs incurred as a consequence of the escape; or
d. Quelling a riot or other disturbance in which the inmate is unlawfully involved.
(2) Defray the costs paid by the county for medical treatment for an inmate, which medical treatment has been requested by the inmate, provided that the deduction from money credited to the account of an inmate does not exceed $5 for each occurrence of treatment received by the inmate at the inmate’s request.
a. The provisions of this division do not apply to medical costs incurred as a result of injuries sustained by an inmate or other medically necessary treatment for which that inmate is determined not to be responsible.
b. Under no circumstance shall an inmate ever be refused medical treatment due to indigence.
(c) Reimbursements. All sums collected for medical treatment must be reimbursed to the inmate if the inmate is acquitted or otherwise exonerated of all charges for which the inmate was being held.
(d) Actions for collection. The detention facility must initiate an action for collection or recovery of medical costs incurred pursuant to this section against an inmate, upon his release, or upon his estate if the inmate died while in the custody of the detention facility.
(e) Outstanding accounts. The County Community Services Director, or his designee, shall, upon the return of an inmate to the detention center, deduct from the money credited to the returnee inmate’s account any outstanding indebtedness incurred by the inmate during the inmate’s prior incarceration.
(Ord. 2611, §§ 1-5, passed 8-16-1994)