The Marion County Sheriff’s Office Mental Health Deputy position, implemented in the Fall of
2022 and being the first in the State for a Sheriff’s Office, has been successful in 2023.

The position was made possible with funding from the County Rural Offices of Social Services
(CROSS) Mental Health Region. Since implementing the Mental Health Deputy, the sheriff’s department has been able to reduce arrests and incarcerations of people with serious mental illness. Agencies such as Knoxville and Pella Police Departments, have seen the success of this program and are looking to implement their own Mental Health Officers.

By successfully connecting people in crisis with services such as the Mental Health Deputy,
the department has reduced the number of repeat calls to law enforcement and connected many individuals with services they may have been unaware of or unable to obtain. It has been Sheriff
Sandholdt’s goal to hold criminals accountable for their crimes but not to bog down the criminal
justice system with people that really do not need to be incarcerated. This position has helped us
accomplish this goal.

The Sheriff’s Office, responsible for the Marion County Jail, also has Mental Health services
available to inmates who may require it. The region also uses partnerships with the local Mental
Health Region and many Non-Governmental Organizations to help inmates prepare to return
society. The sheriff’s office is excited to continue this program in 2024.