Why the Oklahoma County Detention Center faces a $5.8 million shortfall

A week after Oklahoma County jail officials first reported its financial struggles, to the tune of $5.8 million in a projected deficit, its staff held the latest in a series of meetings.

Tuesday morning, staff presented to the county's Budget Evaluation Team. The 10-page slide explained why the facility is having a budget problem, in their own words.

$33.7 million: FY25 budget

Despite asking for $42.1 million for FY25, the detention center was awarded another flat budget of $33.7 million for the third year in a row.

$8.1 million: TurnKey contract

The Oklahoma County Detention Center ended its contract with TurnKey in the fall of last year, which jail officials told the Budget Evaluation Team cost the jail $8.1 million a year for salary and supplies. Offsite medical and drug costs were $840,000. The jail since shifted to internal staffing.

$7.05 million: In-house medical costs

This amount was spent on in-house medical services. The jail has a new partnership for medical billing, which jail staff wrote in its presentation included $1.1 million in unauthorized payments.

$2.1 million cash balance

At the start of FY24, jail staff had $2.1 million cash on hand. That amount has been depleted after a series of emergencies, errors, and medical costs.

$27 state rate

Right now, the state pays jails $27 a day per inmate for inmates needing to be held. Senate Bill 85, going into effect in November, will raise that amount to $32. Though, that amount is still short of what Oklahoma City pays: slightly more than $66 a day per inmate.