The El Paso County Jail has been singled out for national recognition, bagging the 2025 Program of the Year Award from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). This award is no light achievement; it's doled out annually to just one standout program from among more than 500 accredited jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities across the United States.
At the heart of the jail's triumph is its innovative Therapeutic Response Unit and Stabilization Team (TRUST) Program. Initiated in September 2022, TRUST was the answer to an upswing in use-of-force incidents and assaults against peace officers. It saw trained clinicians partner with deputies to de-escalate situations involving inmates grappling with acute mental health crises. According to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, a 30% drop in use-of-force events and an 87% crisis de-escalation success rate in 2024 were among the impressive results borne from this initiative.
El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal underscored the significance of the award, imparting a statement that reflected the team's dedication to compassionate and innovative practices. "Receiving this award is a testament to the compassion, innovation, and professionalism of our deputies, clinicians, and professional staff," Sheriff Roybal expressed, as per the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. "The TRUST program has not only improved safety within our facility but also demonstrated treatment, respect, and understanding can lead to better outcomes for the citizens we serve."
The accolade was officially bestowed on Monday, November 3rd, during the opening of NCCHC's National Conference on Correctional Health Care. The event, hosted at the Baltimore Conference Center in Maryland, drew experts and administrators from the world of correctional healthcare, who gathered to discuss and share pioneering strategies in the field.
