A new health care provider at the Carbon County prison has helped improve service, officials said.

Warden Jim Youngkin updated the board Wednesday on the services provided by Prime Care Medical Inc. of Harrisburg, which took over medical care at the prison on May 2.

“It’s a big plus for us,” Youngkin said. “They do more preventative follow up with inmates than we had in the past.”

He said the biggest improvement he has seen is in the mental health care.

“Doctors come in, we have tele-psych and we also recently got dentists coming into the facility so we don’t have to send inmates out.”

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said he can see the cut in transports, which is a big improvement.

“They have been an asset,” Youngkin said.

Carbon County voted in January to spend nearly $1.2 million annually on the services with Prime Care. Before that, the medical provider was under the Pennsylvania Inmate Medical Cost Containment Program, which contracted with vendors for the services.

Prime Care now provides health care services for all inmates at the prison, including mental health, dental, medical and other related health care services, as well as staffing and electronics record keeping.

Prison officials said in the spring the new coverage will provide round-the-clock coverage, more staff and telemedicine options, as well as bring all services under one umbrella.

The contract with Prime Care is until April 30, 2027.