Orange County NC Website
2 <br /> As we move forward with this pilot, it is our recommendation that Dr. Bridger <br /> should be added as a member of the BOCC Jail Alternatives Working Group. This group <br /> is expected to reconvene next month. I have discussed the HiAP pilot with Sheriff <br /> Blackwood and members of the court stakeholders Jail/Mental Health group and they <br /> expressed support for this framework. Dr. Bridger, Ms. Stewart and I have scheduled a <br /> meeting with Sheriff Charles Blackwood to discuss the collaboration in more detail and <br /> to learn more about jail practices,policies and considerations which could benefit from <br /> an evaluation of health impacts. I am in the process of arranging a tour of the jail for Ms. <br /> Oni and Ms. Stewart. In addition, as the pilot gets underway, Ms. Oni will be conducting <br /> informational interviews with key stakeholders to try and assess the primary physical and <br /> mental health needs of current and former jail clients. I will be working with Ms. Oni to <br /> help identify key informants to assist her with this research. <br /> The Criminal Justice Resource office has assumed oversight of pretrial release <br /> services and drug treatment court coordination. Ted Dorsi, a 14-year veteran of pretrial <br /> release case management work, started on January 4th in our office as the Pretrial Release <br /> Service Case Manager. Courtney Kennedy Pair, who has administered the Orange <br /> County drug treatment courts since 2003, started the same day in the position of Drug <br /> Treatment Coordinator. With funding support from Cardinal Innovations, a temporary <br /> therapeutic position has been created in the office for a Criminal Case Assessment <br /> Specialist to conduct mental health and substance abuse assessments and treatment <br /> coordination for individuals in the jail and those participating in jail alternative <br /> programming. Allison Zirkel, a licensed clinical social worker and addictions specialist, <br /> has filled the temporary position. <br /> I am currently in the process of evaluating the work of these positions to ensure <br /> that we are incorporating best practice models and providing effective jail alternatives <br /> work. Our office's collaboration with the Health Department comes at an opportune time <br /> as we consider new policies and procedures for the delivery of these jail alternative <br /> services. In the second meeting, we specifically discussed addressing drug treatment <br /> court administration and policies in advance of a late January steering committee date, <br /> but our office looks forward to incorporating the HiAP framework to inform all our work <br /> as we seek to standardize our policies and procedures as an office committed to reducing <br /> our jail population and effectively assisting those individuals in jail or in jail alternative <br /> programs. <br />