Grants to address mental health and drug re-hab

Two federal grants totaling more than one million dollars have been approved for mental health and drug rehabilitation in Oconee County.  The first, $585,693 through the Department of Justice, will fund a 30-day in-patient substance abuse recovery treatment program in the Oconee Detention Center remodeled by Christ Central Ministries.  Last month the substance abuse program served 460 people.  The second grant, $561,687 comes thru the U-S Bureau of Justice, and will pay for additional mental health services for those arrested and booked into jail, along with those now incarcerated.  Among other purposes, this grant covers the salary for a mental health clinician to work inside the jail setting.