Monitor Photo/Jody Vincik
Henderson County Commissioners’ Court vote May 21 to proclaim May as Mental Health Awareness Month, which coincides with an effort to note mental health awareness across the country.

HENDERSON COUNTY—Henderson County Commissioners’ Court voted May 21 to proclaim May as Mental Health Awareness Month, which coincides with an effort this month to note mental health awareness across the country, then moved to tackle mental health issues at the county jail.
County Judge Wade McKinney noted mental health organizations working in Henderson County, such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) of Greater Athens, as well as the Andrews Center, which provides mental health services.
“It’s a much broader subject than what we traditionally think of, especially being here in Henderson County, we’re all bootstrap-type people, muscle through it, get it done,” McKinney remarked. “But there is so much more to it and we want to bring awareness to it and begin shining a light upon just how few resources that we have.”
The court then voted to add two amendments (Nos. 10 and 11) to the Southern Health Partners contract for inmate health care at the Henderson County Jail, where McKinney said the county has taken an “in-depth” look at mental health issues among inmates.
Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said a conservative estimate is that 30% of inmates are probably going to have some type of mental illness, such as substance abuse. A mental health registered nurse is seeing 30 clients per week at an hour apiece, which the sheriff said is “pretty taxing.”
Hillhouse explained further that a doctor also comes into the facility, and if that physician finds a person incompetent, the county begins “slowing the wheel down” for prosecution while they “restore the individual,” after which they can proceed through the justice system. There’s a two-year wait list involved, too, the sheriff said, during which the inmate stays in Henderson County before moving to the state prison system.
The first amendment costing $67,000 adds a secondary day of a nurse practitioner being at the jail focusing on mental health issues, which the sheriff hopes reduces the time before cases can go forward.
According to Court Coordinator Angie Goggans, during 20 days of May this year, 109 people were flagged with possible mental health issues. Thirty-five of those had an exact match as having mental illness and began receiving treatment, Goggans continued.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Chuck McHam said residents don’t realize that the jail serves as a mental health facility, which he commented is not what it was intended to be. “Henderson County is trying to do something to alleviate this problem,” McHam stated.
The other approved amendment, No. 11 to the contract, deals with electronic medical records, costing $30,000 yearly, the sheriff said. Hillhouse believes the jail’s commissary fund will pay that.
In other business, the court:
• Approved an amended interlocal cooperation agreement between the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Henderson County for an amended five-year contract, which Hillhouse said is an active 911 interface that assists with dispatching fire calls and which doesn’t cost the county.
• Approved a request by the County Tax Assessor-Collector to refund taxes, issuing three checks totaling $10,964.57.
• Approved accepting the resignation of David Deas and appointing Ashton Elder to the Emergency Services District No. 8 Board of Commissioners, with a term ending Dec. 31, 2025.
• Approved two right-of-way permits for Bethel-Ash Water Supply Corp. to bore under County Roads 3911 and 3923, located in Precinct 3.
• Approved paying fiscal year 2024 bills of $434,917.42.