Wexford BOC to look at social worker, fleet management at sheriff’s office | News

Story Highlights • The Wexford County Sheriff’s Office is proposing the creation of a social worker position at the county jail to address inmates’ mental health needs, with an annual salary of $60,000. • The Wexford County Board of Commissioners will also discuss potential cost-saving measures for patrol vehicle management during their meeting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

CADILLAC — The Wexford County Sheriff’s Office is asking the Board of Commissioners to weigh in on two topics during its upcoming meeting on Wednesday.

The sheriff’s office is proposing the creation of a new social worker position at the Wexford County Jail to address the behavioral health needs of inmates. The social worker would focus on mental health assessments, crisis intervention and connecting individuals with community resources. The initiative aims to enhance communication and engagement between inmates and social services, fostering motivation for positive change.

Wexford County Administrator Joe Porterfield said mental health is an issue in all counties and specifically in county jails. He also said the goal is to have the position filled as soon as possible.

“We have been looking to hire a social worker to provide counseling for our inmates so they have tools in place to help them,” he said.

The annual salary for the position is set at $60,000, and it will fill one of two current vacancies in the corrections division. The timeline for hiring is yet to be defined, pending the posting of the job and completion of interviews and background checks. This new role is expected to make mental health services more accessible within the jail, ultimately benefiting the inmate population.

Also during Wednesday’s meeting, the board is scheduled to discuss a new way to handle fleet management for patrol vehicles within the sheriff’s office.

Porterfield said the purpose of this discussion is to see if it will lead to any cost savings now or in the future, as the board is currently preparing to start the budgeting process for the next fiscal year. The county is considering Enterprise Fleet Management, which offers services for governmental agencies like law enforcement, including vehicle leasing.

The commissioners are scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the commissioners’ room on the third floor of the Wexford County Courthouse, 437 E. Division St. The meeting will also be available for viewing on YouTube after its conclusion by searching “Wexford County Board of Commissioners.”