The St. Joseph County Police Department created a new position designed to help people struggling with mental illness.
During 2019 more than 1,000 people in St. Joe County were court ordered into mental health treatment or monitoring, according to the Clerk’s office.
The new Mental Health Liaison Officer is responsible for connecting recently released inmates with mental health services like counselling or medication.
The idea is that treatment will keep people out of jail.
Sheriff Bill Redman said jail isn’t the place for someone struggling with mental illness or addiction.
“Sometimes people end up at our facility and they don’t necessarily belong there.”
Corporal Daniel Banicki was hired as the Mental Health Liaison Officer earlier this month. He’s been with the department for 24 years.
“We want to make sure anybody in our community, we want to make sure they’re getting the help they need.”
Banicki has been meeting with local mental health providers to improve the process of getting released inmates treatment.
Contact Annacaroline at acaruso@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at @AnnacarolineC16
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