Miami-Dade County commissioners and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on Tuesday presented a proclamation recognizing the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation (MDCR) Department after a federal judge ended a consent decree that had overseen the jails for more than a decade.

The proclamation, presented at the commission chambers, credited years of reforms in jail conditions and health services and singled out partnerships with Jackson Health System and corrections health services. “This achievement reflects years of reform in jail conditions, but also medical and mental health care and suicide prevention,” the chair said during the presentation.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the change reflected a culture shift inside the department and credited staff, legal counsel and outside partners. “We forged new relationships of collaboration, which had not been so collaborative before, with Jackson,” she said. “We have to show you how much we value you, how we depend upon you, and we believe in you.”

Director Sharia Green and Chief James Reyes joined county leaders at the dais. Director Green called the termination “a historic moment for MDCR” and said staff would receive commemorative pins to mark the occasion. “This shows that with hard work, unity, and accountability, an entire department can be transformed,” she said.

No formal board action or new policy was taken during the recognition. Commissioners asked the administration to continue monitoring and to report on any remaining compliance issues, and several commissioners praised the department’s staff for what they called life-saving work inside the jails.