Flagler County, FL
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
florida
Suburban | Population: 140,900Flagler County is located on the northeastern coast of Florida. As of 2025, the county’s estimated population is approximately 140,800, making it the 35th largest county in the state. The population has grown rapidly, by about 46% since 2010, reflecting its status as one of Florida’s fastest-growing areas.
In 2020, Flagler County experienced 76 drug overdose deaths, with a 40% increase in opioid overdose deaths from the previous year. Non-fatal overdoses also rose sharply, with local hospitals reporting significant increases in overdose admissions. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is increasingly required to allocate scarce resources to respond to overdose incidents, often reviving the same individuals multiple times with naloxone. There is a gap in strategies to divert nonviolent offenders with substance use disorders away from deeper criminal justice involvement and into treatment, which increases recidivism and strains the local justice system.
“For the reachable ones, we want to help them get their lives together. We want to provide a foundation for success for them during the program and after they are released. This is about strengthening our communities. We don’t want the jail to be a revolving door. We want them to be successful members of the Flagler County community.”
—Sheriff Rick Staley
Changing the Fabric of Community Resources
With funding from their 2022 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use grant, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office established the SMART Program (Substance Misuse Assistance and Recovery Team), a comprehensive, locally-driven initiative designed to address the county’s severe substance abuse issues, particularly opioid and stimulant misuse, by diverting nonviolent offenders into treatment rather than deeper criminal justice involvement.
Key Program Components
Detention and Community-Based SUD Treatment
33
new clients enrolled in smart program since oct 2024
The SMART program includes medication-assisted treatment services (including continuation of medications within jail and linkages post-release) and therapeutic services (such as cognitive behavioral therapy). Since October 2024, the enhanced program has enrolled 33 new clients in the 90-day SMART program.
>90%
graduation rate among smart program clients
Peer Support
Peers provide recovery support services in jail and after release. They’re also integral to the program's success, reflected in its 90% graduation rate.
60+
clients provided with recovery housing during 2024
Transitional Housing
Publicly funded housing programs often come with disqualifying criteria that exclude a large subset of individuals with substance use disorder. Adding housing was a key element of the enhanced program. More than 60 clients were provided with recovery housing in 2024.
Community-Based Harm Reduction
The grant provides naloxone for law enforcement and funds a drug take-back program so community members can safely dispose of medications.
Understanding the Realities of Staffing
Though the grant project significantly increased community-based resources, the team faced staffing difficulties, especially filling clinician roles. Flexibility was important in keeping the project moving forward. When they couldn’t secure a bachelor-level clinician, the team reassessed staff roles, ultimately shifting the bulk of programmatic work to peer specialists while maintaining the integrity of clinical treatment services. According to Chief Engert, it’s crucial to know the strengths of staff members and “what they're capable of delivering” when pivoting on aspects of the project.
Collaborative Partnerships
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office
EPIC Behavioral Healthcare
Open Arms Recovery Service of Flagler County
Clemson University
University of North Florida
Project Director
Holly Miller
hollyvmiller@icloud.com
904-580-2581
This project was supported by Grant No. 15PBJA23GK02258COAP awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.