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Delaware County commissioners approve jail application for medical and mental-health accreditation
Summary
The board voted to allow the sheriff’s office to apply for accreditation of jail medical and mental-health services from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care; staff said the county has not applied for this accreditation before and hopes to have both surveys conducted simultaneously.
The Delaware County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 20 to authorize the sheriff’s office to submit an application and sign an accreditation agreement with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care for medical and mental-health services in the county jail.
The action allows the sheriff’s office to pursue two accreditations — one for medical services and one for mental-health services — and to enter the standard accreditation agreement required by the accrediting body.
Maquel Roy, finance director for the sheriff’s office, told commissioners the item would allow the office to apply for NCCHC accreditation and approve the accreditation agreement. Roy said the application would be the first time the sheriff’s office has sought this specific accreditation. Angie Dustheimer, accreditation manager for the jail, said the accreditation is “geared towards our medical program, so that it’s for all the medical services that we provide in the jail, as well as our mental health services.” Dustheimer said the office hopes to be surveyed simultaneously for both accreditations.
Commissioners Barb Lewis and Gary Merrill voted in favor; Commissioner Benton was absent. The board did not record any amendments or conditions tied to the motion.
The vote authorizes staff to proceed with application and to execute the accrediting agreement; the county did not provide a timeline for survey dates or estimated costs during the discussion.
Commission staff present at the meeting included county Administrator Tracy Davies and Deputy Administrator and Counsel Eric Hostetler. The commissioners carried the motion without public comment or further debate.
Follow-up steps noted at the meeting were limited to staff proceeding with the application process; no implementation timeline or funding source for the accreditation effort was specified during the discussion.
