Montgomery County Jail earns first-for-Ohio mental health accreditation award

DAYTON — The Montgomery County Jail has become the first in the state to receive a new accreditation award, focusing on mental health and inmate care.

The jail was awarded the Accreditation Award by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). The jail has maintained accreditation with the agency since 2001, however the award is new and has only been awarded to a few facilities nationwide, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said during a media event Monday.

“This specialized accreditation not only means better care for inmates at the Montgomery County Jail but also a likely reduction in in-custody tragedies,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “The hard work of (Montgomery County) Sheriff Streck and his staff raises the bar for all Ohio jails. I encourage jail administrators throughout Ohio to follow Montgomery County’s example.”

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“Our partnership with Sheriff Streck and his team make this advanced level of care possible in the Montgomery County Jail. It takes all of us working together to meet the needs of this vulnerable population for the betterment of the local community,” NaphCare’s Chief Psychologist Amber Simpler said.

The jail’s new accreditation was part of the county’s “Stepping Up Initiative” which is also part of a national program that aims to reduce the number of people with mental illness in jails, a sheriff’s office spokesperson said.

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With an increase of accreditation, officials aim to decrease the disproportionate number of mental health patients circulating in the criminal justice and probate systems.

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