Commissioners move forward with plans to enhance medical services at Bexar County Adult Detention Center
Luis Cienfuegos, Photojournalist
Published: August 4, 2026 at 9:41 PM
BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – The Bexar County commissioners threw their official support behind efforts to improve medical services and healthcare provided at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Tuesday
This comes almost three weeks after an inmate died while in custody of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
According to KSAT’s count, the July 15 death was the seventh BCSO in-custody death this year
BCSO has explained that some detainees had existing medical conditions when they were booked into jail, and those conditions are not always known to center staff until there is some type of episode
During Tuesday’s presentation, commissioners were presented with the statistic that 44% of jail deaths happen within the first seven days of detainees being in custody
In addition, they were told 25% of deaths resulted from natural causes and other deaths were the result of accidental substance toxicity as well as existing medical conditions combined with acute or chronic drug abuse
Commissioners approved planning efforts to continue to improve and enhance medical screening and monitoring of inmates’ health beginning the moment they arrive at the booking facility
The plan presented to commissioners calls for having an on-site medical triage inside a modular facility that would be constructed inside the sallyport at the Justice Intake Assessment Center
The screenings would happen in the facility and be performed by health professionals from University Health (UH)
Improvements also include UH hiring additional nurses
Along with hospital leadership, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office leadership, including Sheriff Javier Salazar, presented their respective parts of the plan to commissioners
Salazar shared an example of what his office is already in the process of to enhance current monitoring capabilities of detainees’ vitals
He explained sensors in designated areas monitor jail detainees’ vitals and the information is seen by a deputy, but staff is presently evaluating different wearable devices that could alert jail personnel when a detainee’s condition is changing
“Should somebody start presenting some sort of issue regarding with their vitals that are monitored, that screen, that part of the deputy’s screen is going to turn red,” Salazar said. “The wearable devices were talking would do in essence the same thing.”
Before and after commissioners voted, the presented recommendations received strong support from county officials and many community members, but Tuesday’s vote did not automatically move things into enactment
Multiple steps still have to have be discussed, completed and approved prior to this improvement plan being executed
Plan stakeholders emphasized the city has to be on board for this new approach to healthcare for incarcerated persons to happen
County officials said they are reaching out to their counterparts with the city, including the San Antonio Police Department, to gain their support
Read also:
- Local nonprofits call for changes at Bexar County jail over custody deaths, healthcare concerns
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