Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Sheriff’s Office creates peer‑support specialist post in RSAT program and approves contingent hire
Loading...
Summary
The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office, using remaining RSAT grant funds, won commission approval to create a peer‑support specialist position for its Pathway for Change residential substance‑use treatment program and to hire a candidate contingent on continued grant funding through July 2026.
The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Office briefed commissioners on the RSAT (Residential Substance Abuse Treatment) program known locally as Pathway for Change and secured authorization to create a grant‑funded peer support specialist position and to proceed with a contingent hire.
Sheriff’s Office staff (Mike Ryan) said the RSAT grant period opened Oct. 1, 2024, and the county received an extension for remaining grant funds; staff stated those funds run through July 31, 2026. The peer support specialist role is intended to support the jail navigator and participants in the program’s 120‑day residential substance‑use treatment track; staff described peer support as people in recovery who can build rapport and connections with current participants and thereby improve the program’s effectiveness.
Commission action and employment conditions
Commissioners voted to create the peer support specialist position and later approved hiring a named candidate (Teresa Jones) for the detention center in the new role, with the hire explicitly contingent on the RSAT grant covering the salary. Staff described standard pre‑employment requirements—background checks, CVSA (computerized voice stress analysis as referenced in the transcript), and drug screenings—to be completed before employment.
Program scale and next steps
The program currently serves up to eight participants at one time; staff said there is a backlog of people who want to enroll. Sheriff’s Office staff discussed plans to expand the program capacity (to roughly 15–20 participants) by using an existing larger bay in the detention center if the county secures sustained funding. Commissioners and staff also said they will apply for upcoming RSAT grant cycles for 2026 and 2027 to secure future funding.
Ending: The position is full time while grant funding is available; commissioners approved the position and contingent hire, and staff will finish pre‑employment checks and continue grant applications to fund the role beyond current awards.
