Livingston County officials have approved a grant application submission that will benefit a program that offers behavioral therapy to inmates.

The County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing submission of the Fiscal Year 2019 Community Corrections Grant application, agreement, and other supporting documents of funding awards during their meeting, Wednesday night. Livingston County Trial Court Administrator Roberta Sacharski said it will benefit the Thinking Matters cognitive behavioral therapy program.

The Thinking Matters program works to address behaviors in a way to avoid the behaviors that can promote recidivism and re-offense. Sacharski said the goal of the grant is to reduce prison commitment rate by offering local services both in the jail and out in the community. County Commission Chairman Don Parker said that the program is a form of diversion punishment sentencing, that, and he stressed “where appropriate,” can allow some inmates to be out of jail where they can be productive members of society. Commissioner Wes Nakagiri spoke during the meeting that while he was originally against the resolution when it was in the finance committee. He said that after talking with Sacharski about it, however, he would be voting in favor it, which he and the other Commissioners all did.

The grant is for the amount of $20,380 and will full cover the services and administrative costs, so that no additional local funding will be required. (MK)