WAKE COUNTY, N.C. – The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), under the presidential initiative of NCACC President and Perquimans County Commissioner Wallace Nelson, hosted the second NC Counties Care: Access Within Reach forum focused on health care in jails on Wednesday, May 20 via Zoom. The virtual forum brought together county leaders, health care providers, researchers, and policy experts to discuss the complexities and costs of delivering health care in local detention facilities and to explore strategies for strengthening county fiscal resilience and care delivery systems.
Attendees received a first look at NCACC’s newly released white paper, North Carolina County Jail Health Care Costs, developed in partnership with Carolina Demography. The research examines the widening gap between budgeted expectations and actual jail health care expenditures, offering data-driven insights to help counties better understand cost drivers and improve long-term planning.
“Our latest research with Carolina Demography sheds light on the growing fiscal pressures counties face in providing health care in jails and underscores the importance of understanding these costs as part of broader county budget planning,” said NCACC President Nelson. “This virtual forum provided an invaluable opportunity to hear directly from county leaders and partners about the challenges and opportunities shaping this critical area of service.”
The forum featured presentations and discussions designed to highlight emerging trends and real-world experiences from counties across North Carolina. Participants engaged in dialogue focused on operational challenges, cost variability, and opportunities for improved coordination and efficiency in jail health care systems.
As part of NCACC’s NC Counties Care: Access Within Reach presidential initiative, one additional statewide forum remains:
- Innovations in Health Care — Thursday, June 18 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. via Zoom
This final session will provide county officials with an opportunity to explore innovative approaches to health care delivery, share best practices, and learn from peers and subject matter experts. For more information about NCACC’s NC Counties Care presidential initiative and forums, visit ncacc.org/nc-counties-care.
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NC Counties Care: Access Within Reach is the 2025-2026 presidential initiative of NCACC President and Perquimans County Commissioner Wallace Nelson, focused on expanding health care access in rural and underserved communities through local partnerships and collaborative solutions