The Christian County Jail and Pennyroyal Center are announcing a partnership to increase access to behavioral health and recovery supports for county inmates housed in the Christian County Jail.
Christian County Jailer, Adam Smith is quoted in a news release as saying, “While I firmly believe in incarceration and punishment for crimes committed, at its core the jail exists to help in correcting a behavior. This partnership is going to do just that by bridging a gap that currently exists in Christian County; giving inmates the opportunity to rehabilitate while incarcerated and to be successful upon release. It is my hope that this partnership will help provide a more drug free and safer community, a stronger work force, and help stabilize family relationships thus helping to strengthen the inmates’ support system.”
Officials say the Pennyroyal Center will provide an onsite re-entry case manager who will assist in assessing county inmate needs and connecting them to community resources upon release. In addition, Certified Peer Support Specialists will provide in-house recovery meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
Pennyroyal Center Executive Director, Ashley Felts Boze says “We know the statistics are overwhelmingly high when it comes to justice involved individuals who have a history of mental illness, substance use and co-occurring disorders. This new program will assist individuals to identify needs while incarcerated, connect to supports and establish a plan that will help them to access resources upon release. Access to recovery supports will also allow for individuals to focus on what they need to be successful in recovery while incarcerated and then transition to community recovery supports.”
The Pennyroyal Center will fund the implementation of the new program by utilizing Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant funding previously awarded October 2021.