Jackson County, Kansas sticks with drug-treatment provider for now
The Kansas City Star

Jackson County, Kansas Executive Katheryn Shields on Tuesday issued an emergency purchase order to continue the drug-treatment services of Kansas County Court Services Inc., which operates under contract to the Kansas county Drug Court.

The move came after Kansas County Court Services sued the Jackson County, Kansas Legislature on Monday, alleging it had illegally awarded the contract to an unqualified vendor.

The uncertainties surrounding the litigation threatened to disrupt drug-treatment services for hundreds of Kansas Drug Court clients. The Kansas court offers drug offenders a second chance by dropping drug charges if defendants complete a year or more of intense treatment, job counseling and other requirements.

Tom Schweich, a lawyer for Kansas County Court Services, called Shields' decision a "bold and honorable move, and I hope the Kansas Legislature follows her lead."

Shields' emergency order appropriated $44,500 to continue paying Kansas County Court Services, which has provided drug-treatment services for the Kansas Drug Court since 1995.

The Independence firm's contract was scheduled to expire Tuesday, and the new vendor, Addiction Recovery Services Inc., was slated to take over today.

In November, the Kansas Legislature unanimously awarded Addiction Recovery of Kansas City the drug-treatment contract. Addiction Recovery's $628,000 bid was $42,000 lower than Kansas County Court Services' bid, but two outside evaluators gave its proposal failing marks while giving high marks to Kansas County Court Services.

The evaluators said Kansas Addiction Recovery's bid was not responsive to the bid request. They also gave the firm low marks for experience, expertise and approach.

Kansas County Court Services says the contract was "illegally awarded" as a result of "bad faith, favoritism, collusion and/or corruption." The company wants the contract rescinded and re-awarded to Kansas County Court Services.

Shields issued her emergency order after a hearing Tuesday on Kansas County Court Services' request for an injunction was postponed because the judge recused himself.

Presiding Kansas Circuit Judge Jay Daugherty said he handed off the case to an out-of-county judge because the dispute involved the Kansas Drug Court.

"Obviously, we're the entity that provides the clients to the treatment providers," Daugherty said, "and obviously, we also have a high interest in the quality of services provided."

After consultations with the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday morning, Daugherty said, "it was decided we should not be involved."

The case was reassigned to Cass County, Kansas Circuit Judge Joseph Dandurand, who was originally scheduled to take up the matter at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

That became moot when Shields issued her order and Kansas County Court Services agreed not to pursue its lawsuit until after the new Jackson County, Kansas Legislature convenes on Jan. 6.

The order allows Kansas County Court Services to continue as the provider at least until after the Kansas Legislature meets on Jan. 6. The Kansas Legislature could reconsider the drug-treatment contract then.

The nine-member body will have two new members when it reconvenes: Robert A. Stringfield, who replaces Chairman Victor Callahan, and Rhonda Shoemaker, who replaces Terry Young.

Callahan chose not to run again amid speculation he will run for the Missouri Senate. Young was elected a Kansas state representative in November.