The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has graduated the first seven inmates from its new Medication-Assisted Treatment program at the Hamilton County Jail & Detention Center, marking a milestone just months after the initiative launched in December.
The MAT program uses FDA-approved medications combined with behavioral counseling to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders. The approach is designed to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings while lowering recidivism among participants.
The first graduates are Darian Garrett, Jacob Daniel, DeJuan Underwood, Peyton Adams, Tyler Coyne, Kenneth Rogers and Ricky Brown.
The program is administered in coordination with Quality Correctional Health Care and the Helen Ross McNabb Center, ensuring participants receive comprehensive medical care and therapeutic support while incarcerated. County-based care is provided after release to support continued recovery.
The initiative follows more than two years of planning between the Sheriff’s Office and several partners, including Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp, Quality Correctional Health Care, the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office, Hamilton County’s Economic & Community Development Office and the McNabb Center.
The program is funded through a $1.2 million Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
When the program launched, Sheriff Austin Garrett described it as part of a broader effort to address the rising number of individuals entering the jail with opioid addiction and mental health challenges.
“With the rising number of individuals entering our jails struggling with opioid addiction and mental health challenges, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is pursuing innovative approaches to enhance the health and safety of those in our custody,” Garrett said at the time. “This includes developing programs that address these disorders, support recovery and provide meaningful treatment options.”
Garrett said the initiative reflects strong partnerships with county leaders and community providers and aims to equip inmates with the tools and resources necessary to reintegrate into society and support their families as law-abiding, productive members of society.
Research shows that MAT programs reduce drug use and overdose events while promoting recovery. Within the criminal justice system, such programs have also been shown to lower rates of criminal activity, arrests, probation violations and reincarceration. Sheriffs and judges who have implemented MAT programs report fewer individuals cycling through local jails and higher retention rates in treatment courts.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp previously called the program a “bold step” to change lives and strengthen the community, noting that similar approaches have proven effective elsewhere in the state.
District Attorney Coty Wamp said criminal justice should provide opportunities for rehabilitation, describing MAT programs as an effective first step for offenders willing to seek help with addiction.
The McNabb Center provides co-occurring clinical services in the jail’s MAT program, including group and individual therapy, peer support and connections to community resources. Officials have described the initiative as the first MAT pod in Tennessee.
With the graduation of the first seven participants, sheriff’s officials say the program represents an important step in addressing substance use disorders within the jail and supporting long-term recovery beyond incarceration.
Source: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office