LEGISLATORS APPROVE DRUG COURT TREATMENT EXTENSION

Jackson County legislators voted Friday to extend a drug court treatment
contract for 45 days, fixing a problem with treatment for some
drug-addicted offenders.

The extension will give them time to find another agency to handle the program.

They also called for an investigation into a bidding problem that
contributed to the disruption of treatment.

Drug court allows drug-addicted offenders to avoid jail by successfully
completing drug treatment. It is paid for by the anti-drug tax, a
quarter-cent countywide sales tax.

But some of the program's 400 clients have gone without regular treatment
programs since March 31, when contracts with County Court Services and
Addiction Recovery Services ended. A new contract with Swope Health
Services was to have begun April 18, but legislators withdrew it Tuesday,
saying Swope violated purchasing rules by changing its contract proposal
after sealed bids were opened.

Swope was one of four companies to submit bids for the contract this year.

Anti-drug tax officials said a plan was in place to closely monitor drug
treatment clients during the transition, but they conceded some services
had not been provided for two weeks.

Legislators called an emergency meeting Friday to correct the disruption in
drug treatment.

The Legislature's vote on Friday temporarily restored the contract to
County Court Services. Agency director Judy Chase said she expects to
reopen to drug court clients Monday. Chase said that she had to fire
counselors assigned to Jackson County after her original contract ended in
March but that many counselors were willing to return.

"It's going to be long days and a lot of work, but we're going to" resume
operation, Chase said.

Legislative Chairman Dan Tarwater said he wants the Legislature to again
review the four bids, including the original one from Swope, and select a
new drug treatment agency by April 25. That will allow Chase and the new
agency to work together a few weeks. Chase also said she's making plans to
merge her operation with Kansas City Community Center, the agency that
Tarwater said is the front-runner for the new contract.

Legislators on Friday also called for finance director Troy Thomas and
purchasing director Gary Dannaldson to investigate the last bid process for
the drug court contract and specifically how Swope was allowed to change
its proposal after the deadline.

"I'm not pointing fingers," said Legislator Bob Spence, who proposed the
investigation. "But there has been a serious breakdown in the purchasing
process."

Swope attorney Mark Bryant has denied any wrongdoing by Swope, saying drug
court administrator Joe Reed had invited his client to make changes in its
proposal.

He has also argued that purchasing rules allowed the change because the
proposal was for professional medical treatment, not equipment or supplies.
Rules are different for professional services, he said.

Meanwhile, Reed was suspended last week with pay pending the outcome of a
review.