Mental Health Emphasis Good for Both Inmates and Staff at Yakima County Jail

Mental-health issues can complicate a defendant’s experience in the criminal-justice system. A program in the Yakima County jail seeks to ease that burden, to the benefit of both inmates and staff

A Yakima County jail official estimates that more than one-quarter of the inmates there — or more than 200 people — could qualify for some level of mental-health support.

While jails are constitutionally obligated to provide medical care, the same standard does not apply to general mental-health services, said Yakima County Department of Corrections director Ed Campbell.

The department sets aside about $250,000 a year to fund a staff of mental-health experts who work directly at the jail.

When inmates can get the care they need to stabilize themselves while in custody, corrections officers and other staff can feel safer, Campbell said.

Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health has been coordinating the program for about 20 years.

The mental-health team — which consists of two therapists, two case managers, two pharmacists and a mental-health assistant — sees between 90 and 100 inmates a week.

The jail has about 725 inmates — about 450 held on local charges and the rest being held on contracts with other jurisdictions.

Referrals can come from many sources: probation officers, corrections staff, family members and defense attorneys.

“Once they are on our radar, we put a lot of energy into making sure they get needs met,” said Nicole Wright, a therapist and the jail’s mental-health team leader for Comprehensive.

The mental-health staffers interview each referred inmate and decide on the best course of treatment, including whether they need any medications.

Inmates are given the opportunity to learn coping skills to deal with their illness and with the experience of being in jail.

The mental-health team also participates in deciding where inmates should be housed in the jail — a key first step in eliminating potential problems. For instance, one inmate might do well alone, while another would feel better in a group.

For their part, corrections staff members also receive training that helps them identify when someone might need mental-health treatment.

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