Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Autauga County Sheriff’s Office will be adding a Mental Health Deputy to help with evaluations, transport and court appearances for individuals suffering from mental health issues. The Autauga County Commission unanimously approved the new job opening in conjunction with Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrell, at an Autauga County Commission meeting in January.
“This is a unique position, especially for an agency our size. Most bigger agencies have the manpower to have a specific deputy to handle something like this. This is something that was brought to me by the county commission, not to create a position, but just to try and figure out what we can do. Working with them I was able to create this position, where we can take a better look at what’s needed in our community to house these people that do not need to be in jail. But, need to be having specific care at a facility that’s not in jail,” Harrell said.
Funding for this position will come from two unfilled correctional deputy positions, one full time and the other part time. These funds will be moved from the jail budget to the sheriff’s office budget to provide the funding for this “born-again” position that has not been held for several years, according to the last county commission meeting.
“Overall, it’s just a better way of serving the people of Autauga County. We’re in the process now of locating and searching for that specific deputy that has the qualifications and a background in upper-level mental health as well as certifications to be able to make a proper evaluation of people in crisis to get them where they need to be. This is just one aspect that I saw I could do as a sheriff to better help the citizens of Autauga County,” Harrell said.
This mental health deputy will work closely with the Probate Office and Probate Judge Kim Kervin, as well as the Autauga County court system and that individual’s family. The evaluations this deputy will perform will determine if that individual’s actions are something criminal where they need to be in jail or something else where they need to receive proper care in a facility.
Currently there are no facilities within Autauga County for individuals suffering from mental illness or a mental health crisis, Harrell said.
“This is where this helps out in having this position, for somebody that knows how to deal with individuals that are going through the different issues of their lives, whether that’s PTSD, drug induced or just a mental health crisis. This will get them where they need to be as well as transport them where they need to be.”
“That could be in Montgomery or in another jurisdiction altogether. This really helps our community after mental health cuts were made years ago. This also frees up our jail. Somebody that’s going through a mental health crisis doesn’t need to be in a jail cell where it causes them bigger problems than they already have,” Harrell said.
This specific deputy will coordinate with mental health facilities and keep files of their evaluations to help repeat offenders going forward. This deputy will also be in court for regular district and circuit court to help those judges as well. Harrell said it is important to ensure the mental health needs within the Autauga County court system is being met.
“It’s going to take a specific person and somebody that has a drive for this, that wants to help these individuals. Some of them are our family, or people we see in the community all the time. We just need to help them out the best way we can and this just gives us a different aspect of looking at situations to better help us and the Probate Office,” Harrell said.
Eventually, Harrell confirmed that he would love to expand on this position to a whole team that’s equipped in handling mental health situations in his department. But for right now, this single deputy expansion could make a world of difference for numerous individuals of Autauga County.
“We’ll be following other sheriff’s offices with similar positions to set the mold and take it from there,” Harrell said.
Applications are currently being accepted for this position and are available through the Autauga County Commission website.
