'More than just a number': WCSO behavioral health program continues to make strides

Washington County Sheriff's Office's behavioral health program has positively impacted the detention center's recidivism rates, has created a "calmer jail" setting for inmates and helped individuals stay out of incarceration when possible. The program was implemented into the detention center two years ago in partnership with Frontier Health and is fully funded by opioid settlement money received by Washington County. Susan Saylor, WCSO's public information officer, said the money is very restricted as to what it can be used for and this program fits in those restrictions. "We've sat down and had meetings just to reevaluate (if) this is how we still want to continue moving forward if we get (more money) and we're not changing anything," Ashley Barnes, WCSO's behavioral health supervisor said. In 2024, at the start of the program recidivism rates for participants was 41.73%. At the end of 2025, the rate was 36.40%, according to a press release. Data from 2023 to 2025 shows a 24.59% decrease in recidivism rates from the total detention center population to participants of the program. Recidivism is the likelihood of a convicted felon to reoffend. Addiction and mental health issues are known to be contributors to repeat offenders, according to the release. The program works inside and outside the detention center helping inmates and individuals who are experiencing struggles with their mental health, addiction or going through a life altering event. More times than not, participants in the program are struggling with addiction or mental health disorders, Celeste Taylor, senior director of crisis services at Frontier Health said. "The vast majority are substance abuse related and or co-curring disorder with a mental health diagnosis," Taylor said. The program has had 1,400 participants since the it started. Not all participants were inmates at the WCSO detention center. A crisis co-response team was established as a part of the program. The team meets deputies on scene, by request of the deputy, to help deescalate the situation and find ways to help the individual in need keeping them out of incarceration. "This helps get them what they need and keep them out of a potentially worse situation," Saylor said. Tarra Hanner, mobile crisis co-response team member, said they have only had to make one arrest out of 283 calls. She said the arrest was only made because the individual assaulted an officer. Inside of the detention center, the program runs on a recommendation basis. Deputies or WCSO staff members will recommend inmates to the program who they believe might be struggling with their mental health. Inmates can also sign up for the program themselves through a kiosk system inside the detention center. The program works with inmates on several different levels. The first step of helping an inmate is setting up a visit with the on-site mental health nurse. "She sees any initial requests for mental health services that comes through," Barnes said. "She kind of triages and sees the inmates for their initial request and then she kind of filters them through the program of who needs what." She said if it is a medication management issue then the inmate will be seen by an on-site psychiatric nurse who can diagnose mental health disorders or help with medication management for existing diagnoses. "We also have counseling and therapy through East Tennessee State University," she said. "So, if they're having a down moment, like a lot of individuals do, … they can participate in therapy and counseling." She said another component to the program is the on-site social worker which is a key part of the program helping connect individuals to reentry services after their incarceration. "We may get them stabilized and doing well while they're in jail, but we want to continue that pattern when they get out of jail," Barnes said. The social worker can help connect an individual with rehab treatment, guiding them on how to get a driver's license or simple things such as clothing, finding housing and getting a footing in the world. "I've heard inmates talk highly of our program," Barnes said. "They feel some hope that … we're able to provide a more humanistic approach to them than what an officer can." The role of an officer is to view inmates as safety and security. With this program and the people involved in it, inmates can be viewed in a different aspect and can connect with the program on a personal level "and really help them feel like I'm not just a number here," Barnes said. In partnership with ETSU, WCSO is hosting a screening of a documentary on the impacts the program has had on individuals on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Jackson Theater in Jonesborough. "It's not a crime to have a mental health diagnosis," Barnes said. "We have to be able to be supportive and find ways to help these people so that they're not incarcerated because they're about to become (troublesome)."