Grant Could Help Reduce Jail Overcrowding In Hancock County

6/14/18 – 10:53 A.M.

A grant could help Hancock County address its jail overcrowding problem. Cayla Fortman is with the Hancock County ADAMHS board, and says a $50,000 innovation fund grant would help provide ways to keep people out of jail

Audio:Cayla Fortman

Fortman tells the county commissioners the grant could help provide a coordinator to find better ways to use existing resources

Audio:Cayla Fortman

Fortman says the plan would look at who ends up in jail the most and find ways to divert them before they end up behind bars.

Fortman adds theyve seen similar programs get results in Washington State

Audio:Cayla Fortman

She says other communities have used the technical assistance to create better treatment programs for people before they end up in jail.

The program wouldnt need any funding from the county. Fortman says theyll know if they get the grant in September.