Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin and Starke County Court Services Director Shawn Mattraw will be applying for a grant to help address opioid use disorders and substance use disorders.
Sheriff Dulin said Starke County Court Services is part of a Justice Partners Addiction Response Training Group. Through this group, Court Services officials can apply for a grant through the Sequential Intercept Model for $60,000 for two consecutive years to enhance partnerships with law enforcement and behavioral health care providers.
Dulin said the funds will help the county with a new position.
“The creation of a part-time re-entry coordinator position that would help assist offenders in getting a job, getting their banking things in order, possibly helping them get to and from jobs, and possibly housing.
Funding would also allow training for a Moral Recognition Therapy program at Hope Restored in North Judson and potential cross training with Healthlinc’s Mobile Response Team.
“A huge thing is a Mobile Response Team which would include an on-duty law enforcement officer and that funding would help cover the overtime costs for that officer.”
The dedicated officer would be a part of Healthlinc’s Mobile Response Team as a first line of defense in a situation. The Mobile Response Team will assist the individual in making sure they attend the addiction treatment appointments and will meet with them on a regular basis.
The county would not need to provide a grant match. The grant announcement will be made in the fall.
Commissioner Bryan Cavendar commented that he supports anything that can help combat the drug problem in the county.
With that, the commissioners approved the request to proceed with the grant application. They also approved the creation of the part-time re-entry coordinator.
