{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-441.560","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 441.560","heading":"Transfer of prisoners for medical treatment.","body":"(1) When a prisoner in a jail, regional jail, or holdover is injured, is or becomes sick or\nill, or requires specialized medical care or long -term medical care which is not\navailable at the local jail, the jailer or other person in charge of the jail, regional jail,\nor holdover may request that the commissioner of the department, or the\ncommissioner's designee in writing, transfer the prisoner to a facility operated by\nthe department or under contract to the department for the provision of necessary\nmedical treatment and care.\n(2) The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee in writing, may authorize the\ntransfer of the prisoner to a facility operated by the department or under contract to\nthe department for the length of time necessary to secure medical treatment and care\nfor the prisoner. Following medical care and treatment the prisoner shall be returned\nto the jail, regional jail, or holdover.\n(3) If the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, in writing, authorizes the\ntransfer of the prisoner to a facility operated by the department or under contract to\nthe department, then the department shall pay:\n(a) The costs of transfer to and from the department's facilities;\n(b) The room, board, and related costs for the prisoner while the prisoner is in the\ncustody of the department; and\n(c) The costs for medical care, treatment, medicines, and supplies for the prisoner\nwhile the prisoner is in the custody of the department.\n(4) The department shall have no legal duty to transfer any prisoner to the departmen t\nfor medical treatment and care. The decision of the commissioner or the\ncommissioner's designee, in writing, whether or not to accept a prisoner for transfer\nto the department shall be subject to appeal to the secretary of justice and public\nsafety.\n(5) The department shall promulgate administrative regulations relating to the transfer\nof prisoners to the department for medical treatment and care.\n(6) When a prisoner is transferred to the department for medical care and treatment, the\njailer or other pers on in charge of the jail, regional jail, or holdover shall notify the\nfollowing persons of the reason for the transfer, the fact of the transfer, and the\ngeneral reasons for the transfer:\n(a) The prisoner's next of kin;\n(b) The prisoner's attorney of record;\n(c) The Commonwealth's attorney or county attorney, as appropriate; and\n(d) The Chief Circuit Judge or Chief District Judge, as appropriate.\n(7) When a prisoner is returned to the jail, regional jail, or holdover by the department,\nthe jailer or other p erson in charge of the jail, regional jail, or holdover shall notify\nthe persons specified in subsection (6) of this section of the prisoner's return.\n(8) The department's costs of providing care, drugs, medications, travel, and all other\nexpenses authorized by this section shall be a necessary governmental expense.","path":["KRS Chapter 441"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19361","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:59:55Z","sha256":"135b782ba5533515f73e397ff5b94e0b6824a4248c621882178b5a4c879ff2e3","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-441.550","next":"us-ky/krs-441.605"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}