Marshall County Community Corrections Executive Director Ward Byers and Marshall County Superior Court No. 2 Judge Dean Colvin were able to give more information to the county council this week about the Justice Partners Addictions Grant application.
As previously mentioned, the grant would help in addressing addiction issues within the judiciary and the Marshall County Jail using a sequential intercept model. The grant money would provide resources for individuals or family members suffering from addiction. Byers added that the grant offers diversion from arrest.
“When an officer is at a scene or dispatch has received a call from a family member regarding a substance abuse, overdose or an issue within their home the grant provides resources for training for law enforcement and dispatch,” said Byers. “It also talks about the diversion from arrest or keeping those individuals out of the county jail and utilizing resources or enhancing local resources to provide law enforcement with that information to provide families with the information.”
Byers stressed that the diversion from arrest does not mean that the offender escapes prosecution at that time.
“Maybe it’s best suited that the individual goes to the detox facility here at Behavioral Health or at The Bowen Center and not necessarily go in detox in the jail which is an expensive medical issue for the county and the county’s medical provider at the jail.”
The grant also offers funding for services throughout the jail program and diversion during the initial hearing process which Byers explained would allow for a part-time staff member at the jail to compile information for the judges prior to the offender’s initial hearing for a better understanding of what type of diversion program to place the offender.
A peer recovery specialist will follow the offender through the process and help them by being a mentor.
Byers noted that $19,500 each for the jail staff member and the peer recovery specialist will be funded through the grant and the rest of the $60,000 a year for the two-year life grant cycle will be used for training, materials and screening tools.
The council members unanimously approved the request to apply for the grant through Indiana Office of Court Services. Judge Colvin will be submitting the grant on behalf of the judiciary.
