A Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department employee has been honored by a mental health organization for going above the call of duty to help homeless inmates being released find assistance.
Tona Wakefield is a jail discharge planner with the county, who helps inmates being released find housing, and works to connect them with mental health, and substance abuse recovery programs.
It’s estimated that about a third of the homeless inmates in the county’s jail system have mental health issues.
The Forensic Mental Health Association of California honored Wakefield for her efforts.
