COLUMBUS, Ind. – Two main themes ran through the discussions at the Bartholomew County Community Corrections Advisory Board meeting on Friday morning: the impact of coronavirus at Bartholomew County Jail and the impact of the mental health issues in the community.
Because of COVID-19, the Indiana Department of Corrections 2019 grant audits are taking longer, work release numbers are significantly down, the WRAP and REALM programs are only using one facilitator, field officers are limited in what they can do, and plans to expand drug court programs are on hold. Right now, the intention is to increase the hours per week that a mental health counselor comes to the jail from 16 to 40 next year.
Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson spoke at the meeting and said he has seen a “big uptick” in mental health issues this year and as a result, his department is taking people to the hospital daily. Sheriff Matt Myers echoed that saying, “practically every call we go on” involves such issues.
