For Immediate Release: September 1, 2023

Sheriff Austin Garrett Joins with County Mayor Wamp to Announce Opioid Abatement Funding for HCSO Programs

Hamilton County, TN – On Thursday night, August 31, 2023, Sheriff Austin Garrett joined Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp at a press conference to announce new opioid abatement funding to support numerous county-wide initiatives.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will be the recipient of two of these initiatives.

The first initiative includes $250,000 in restricted opioid abatement funding to expand the HCSO’s existing Re-Entry Program at the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center. This expansion will help secure a new welding program for inmates in addition to carpentry, electrical, and cosmetology programs already in the buildout phase. Additionally, the County has transferred a facility from the Highway Department, in close proximity to the jail, to house some of the aforementioned programs.

The second initiative includes funding to create a new Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) Pilot Program for inmates who suffer from substance abuse and addiction. The program will be administered by our onsite medical provider at the Hamilton County Jail, QCHC. The goal of this pilot program is to help those suffering from the ongoing effects of substance abuse and transition inmates into recovery courts and other organizations that can provide long-term rehabilitation services upon release.

“The HCSO is proud to partner with County Mayor Wamp to use state opioid abatement funding to support the medical and occupational needs of the inmates in the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center. Our goal here is clear… We want to help inmates receive the services and occupational training necessary to reduce recidivism, earn a livable wage, and experience a productive life upon release and this funding will allow us this opportunity,” stated Sheriff Austin Garrett

For more information about the other initiatives, please visit the Hamilton County Mayor’s Office Facebook page or local news coverage of the event.