Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Detention Facility awarded accreditation from National Commission on Correctional Health Care

Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam today announced the Washoe County Detention Facility has earned accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) by demonstrating compliance with NCCHC’s Standards for Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) in Correctional Facilities. OTP accreditation enables opioid treatment programs to obtain legally required certification from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Today, only 30 facilities nationally have achieved OTP accreditation.

“This accreditation is confirmation of the hard work Washoe County Sheriff’s Office personnel and NaphCare perform on a daily basis,” said Sheriff Darin Balaam. “It is critically important to provide medication-assisted treatment in jails. Doing so can have a huge impact on patient and public health – and we’ve seen results already.

“Providing opioid treatment is the first step to helping individuals who need assistance live law-abiding, productive lives,” Sheriff Balaam continued. “I salute our supervisors, deputies, civilian employees, and health care staff for their efforts in, and knowledge of, opioid treatment programs in a secure environment.”

The WCSO Detention Facility underwent a rigorous on-site survey in June of 2021 by professionals with experience in corrections-based opioid treatment programs. NCCHC is the only SAMHSA-authorized accrediting body that focuses on corrections. NCCHC’s opioid treatment standards are based on federal regulations and community standards but modified for the unique correctional environment.

Accreditation is a rigorous external review of a facility’s health care operation. NCCHC accreditation is a nationally recognized performance excellence framework that helps facilities evaluate and improve their health care delivery processes. NCCHC has surveyed and accredited jails, prisons, and juvenile detention and confinement facilities for 40 years.

“In achieving NCCHC accreditation, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Detention Facility has demonstrated its commitment to meeting federal requirements for corrections-based opioid treatment,” said National Commission CEO Deborah Ross, CCHP. “We commend Sheriff Balaam for successfully undertaking this challenge to provide quality opioid treatment and break the bonds of addiction.”