Henn. Co. Creates Team To Help High-Risk Inmates
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hennepin County inmates with mental illness, chemical dependency issues and those who are likely to re-offend will have some extra help when they're released.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday the addition of the Integrated Access Team at the Hennepin County Jail in downtown Minneapolis.
The team – which is a partnership between the sheriff's office, Hennepin County Human Services and the public health department – includes social workers, a chemical health counselor, a housing specialist and a case management assistant.
The IAT will use clinical information along with a standardized risk assessment tool to identify inmates who are at risk for re-offending due to treatable behavioral issues.
The sheriff's office says 30 percent of inmates suffer from mental illness, and 75 percent of inmates have previously been incarcerated.
The Hennepin County Jail processes 100 inmates a day on average.