Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office welcomes new medical provider

The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office welcomes VitalCore Health Strategies of Topeka, Kan., as the new medical provider for the Virginia Beach Correctional Center.

The $7.7 million contract for the first year of three between the City of Virginia Beach and VitalCore officially started on Sept. 28, 2023, at midnight.

The contract, executed through the City’s procurement process, has an option for two one-year renewals. Under the contract, VitalCore is responsible for providing medical and mental health care for the jail’s inmates, which includes medication administration, sick call, chronic care, emergency care, off-site care coordination, dental, pharmacy, laboratory, dialysis and other ancillary services for the jail 1,000 inmates.

VitalCore replaced Advanced Correctional Healthcare (ACH) Inc., of Franklin, Tenn., which provided medical care at the Correctional Center from Feb. 1, 2022, to Sept. 27, 2023. ACH’s $5.78 million annual contract expired on April 30, 2023.

The City received four responsive proposals for the contract, including from VitalCore. The Purchasing Division awarded the contract based on the input of an evaluation committee that rated the respondents’ proposals on their experience, capability, services to be provided and price.

“Our No. 1 priority is providing the best taxpayer value and quality medical care for our inmates, and VitalCore fits the bill,” said Sheriff Rocky Holcomb. “VitalCore values patients over profits, which is what we need in the Virginia Beach Correctional Center.”

VitalCore was founded in January 2015 as Viola Riggin, LLC, and rebranded as VitalCore in January 2018. The company has provided services to local facilities, including the St. Brides and Indian Creek correctional centers, both in Chesapeake. VitalCore is accredited through the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare.

“VitalCore is proud to be a partner with the Virginia Beach community. The correctional facility staff have been very supportive and have assisted VitalCore in enhancing our programmatic services within the facility to improve overall healthcare,” said Viola Riggin, VitalCore’s chief executive officer. “We are developing a positive relationship with the local community healthcare providers so that when our patients return to the community, they are better prepared to manage their own healthcare needs.”

Any questions or requests for additional information from the news media may be directed to Public Information Officer Toni Guagenti at tguagenti@vbso.net or 757-385-8446 or Strategic Communications Consultant Kathy Hieatt, khieatt@vbso.net.

For additional information about VitalCore,visit vitalcorehs.com.