Lincoln County sheriff to add full‑time mental‑health liaison through Sweetser

The Lincoln County sheriff’s office introduced Danielle Pierce as its new full‑time mental‑health liaison and said she will begin working alongside deputies in a co‑response model with provider Sweetser.

The sheriff told the commissioners the liaison will share office space at the sheriff’s office, ride with deputies when appropriate and perform on‑scene crisis assessments to reduce jail bookings and emergency‑room transports. “We’re really excited at the sheriff’s office to bring this to fruition,” the sheriff said.

Sweetser staff attended the meeting to describe the role and the organization’s involvement. Vania Thirlo of Sweetser said the liaison will be trained in crisis support services and will coordinate closely with the county’s recovery options liaison, Nicholas Cogo. “She can do crisis assessments on the spot with individuals as needed,” Thirlo said.

The sheriff said similar law‑enforcement liaison positions operate elsewhere in the state and New England, and the county’s version will be tailored to local needs. Mike Andrick, who was mentioned as having prior experience with similar models in the Boston area, was cited as a source of operational advice.

There was no formal vote attached to the introduction. Commissioners and staff said they expect to track outcomes with a spreadsheet that logs interactions to monitor the program’s effect on jail and emergency‑room usage.

The sheriff also reported current jail population figures as part of the department update: a total jail count of 168 on the morning of the meeting, with inmates from several jurisdictions and five federal detainees through the U.S. Marshals Service.

The sheriff’s office and Sweetser said they will work on data tracking, coordination with other responders and flexible implementation as the new position begins.