Managing inmates with mental health issues and other special needs is a top priority for the St. Charles County Department of Corrections (SCCDOC). The department recently hosted its third interagency training to educate area officers on how to handle such cases.
Corrections officers from three agencies – St. Louis County Department of Justice Services, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Jail Division, and the Warren County Jail – joined officers from SCCDOC in the 5-day, 40-hour training.
With the increasing number of cases in detained populations, specialized staff training has been in higher demand for correctional agencies.
“We must equip our staff to properly manage and care for the diversity of needs in the people we oversee” says Keen. “ I want to thank the other participating Correctional and Law Enforcement Departments in the Metro area for recognizing that this training is a priority.”
The training was conducted by instructors from SCCDOC staff, National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), Compass Health, and Jennings Department of Corrections with participation from Headway Club House in St. Peters. Headway House is a program of Compass Health Network of St. Charles County.