Bernalillo County to Take Over MDC Jail Healthcare Services in 2027
Bernalillo County Commissioners have approved a plan to take over direct responsibility for healthcare services at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) jail. The county will assume this role starting July 1, 2027, with an initial investment of approximately $37 million,…
Albuquerque Santa Fe, NM, October 28, 2026 —
Bernalillo County commissioners have approved a plan for the county to take direct responsibility for healthcare services at the Metropolitan Detention Center jail, with the change scheduled to begin July 1, 2027.
The plan includes an initial investment of approximately $37 million. The change follows UNM Hospital’s decision to end its agreement as the jail’s healthcare contractor. The available information does not specify when commissioners approved the plan or when UNM Hospital’s agreement will end.
Under the approved plan, the county will assume responsibility for providing healthcare services at MDC. Details about how those services will be organized, the number of staff involved, or the specific services included were not provided. The information also does not identify how the approximately $37 million investment will be allocated or whether it covers a particular period.
The reason UNM Hospital decided to end its agreement was not provided. No further information was available about the transition arrangements between the hospital and the county, or about whether another provider will have a role in delivering services after the county assumes responsibility.
The planned start date is more than two years after the approval described in the available information, but no additional milestones or interim steps were specified. The county’s plan establishes the change in responsibility and the initial investment; further operational details were not included.
Story summarized from the original created by Jonathan Fjeld on www.kob.com, see more information here.
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