Roanoke City Jail starts new program to help inmates with mental health issues

Roanoke City Jail started a program to help inmates faced with mental health issues a few weeks ago. The program helps inmates who are about a month before they are discharged to identify future help after they leave the jail. This is still in the testing phase in the jail and the hope is for it to expand to other local jails.

"One of the problems with mental health clients is that when they stop using their medication and re-offend or return back to jail so our goal is for them to get treatment as we can before leaving the jail," says Earl Edwards of Blue Ridge Behavioral Health.

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Blue Ridge Behavioral Health partners with the jail for this program to be possible. Blue Ridge Behavioral Health also pays for the program.

In order to be part of the program a person must either be a Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Care Client, self-referred, or recommended by the jail. An inmate in the program will meet with a discharge planner about three times a month before leaving the jail. During the meetings, the planner will find out what services the inmate will need after leaving the jail.

Sheriff Tim Allen says mental health is a big issue and hopes that he could help the jail serve as a model for other jails to follow.

"It's everybody's issue and problem but having it here and having the program in place and having some structure behind it is extremely important," says Allen.