online learning series | jail-based support
Partnerships and Collaboration:
Building Systems That Work
Core concepts
System-level collaboration improves planning and outcomes.
Community provider partnerships expand service reach.
Internal coordination strengthens daily operations.
Regulatory partnerships support compliance and delivery.
Lesson Overview
This video highlights how correctional leaders, medical providers, and community partners are breaking down silos to create more effective and coordinated systems of care. Through examples from jurisdictions across the country, the video illustrates how planning boards, interagency teams, and community-based providers are working to ensure individuals in custody have access to treatment and recovery services. From daily huddles inside facilities to county-wide planning boards and collaborations with regulatory agencies, viewers see how partnerships fuel stronger outcomes and more sustainable programs.
Supplemental Documents
This collaborative public health initiative is aimed at reducing overdose deaths, drug use, and infectious diseases through targeted interventions, harm reduction strategies, and equitable access to treatment from 2022 to 2025.
The "Rise Together" Blueprint is a comprehensive, community-driven plan developed by Franklin County to reduce poverty by addressing racial disparities, improving economic mobility, and coordinating long-term, cross-sector strategies in housing, jobs, health, and youth development.
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Chief Deputy of Corrections
Franklin County, OHChief Deputy Geoff Stobart is the Chief Deputy of Research, Development, and Major Projects for the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Columbus, Ohio. With a career spanning over 27 years, Chief Stobart has gained wide and deep experience within the Sheriff's Office. Prior to his taking his current position, he managed the Office’s largest division and was responsible for the custody and care of more than 2,000 inmates in two jails and for the security of all individuals working and visiting in Franklin County government buildings. He has been assigned to every Division of the Office spending time in Patrol, Community Relations, Internal Affairs, and Investigations.
Chief Stobart obtained a Graduate Certificate in Management Development from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations of Cornell University and is a graduate of Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command. He serves on the Franklin County Re-Entry Coalition, and the Franklin County Criminal Justice Planning Board. -
CCS Director
Chesterfield County, VAGary Hughes is the Director of the Chesterfield County Community Corrections Program, where he oversees Local Probation, Pretrial Services, the Center of Risk Reduction, Dual Treatment Track, and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Resource Center. Previously, he served as Director of Community Corrections for Henrico County for three years. Additional experience included six years as a Probation Services Supervisor for Chesterfield County Community Corrections. Prior to his appointment as a supervisor, he worked for four years as a Local Probation Officer in the Domestic Violence Unit at Chesterfield. He started his career as an Adult Probation Officer for Maricopa County in Phoenix, Arizona. His experience in the Criminal Justice field spans over 27 years. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Criminal Justice.
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Division Manager, Medical, Mental Health, and Associated Contracts
Essex County, MAMs. Jennifer Padre has over 25 years of clinical experience as a social worker in a variety of settings. She is an Assistant Superintendent with the Essex County Sheriff's Department and serves as the Clinical Director. Her previous positions include working for the Essex County District Attorney's Office and as the Mental Health Director of the Essex County Correctional Facility. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Boston University and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with specialty training in Suicide Prevention, Trauma-Informed Practice, Dual-Diagnosis treatment, and First-Responder/Disaster Response treatment. She has experience working with vulnerable populations in the community and while incarcerated. Her experience includes child and elder protective services, victim support and advocacy, emergency/crisis response, and program development.
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Sheriff's Office Medical Director
Chesterfield County, VADr. Georges Mantovani Gay, MD, is an experienced Internal Medicine physician with a focus on Hematology and Medical Oncology. With over 34 years of experience in healthcare, he currently serves as the Medical Director for the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, where he has championed public health initiatives for the past 20 years. Dr. Gay has been instrumental in launching the HARP program, aiding over 3,500 individuals in addiction recovery, and has secured millions in grants to expand mental health services and Buprenorphine/Methadone treatment in the jail. His dedication has been recognized with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award. Additionally, he shares his expertise as the Medical Advisor for the Medical Assisting Program at the Medical Careers Institute in Richmond, Virginia, empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals. Dr. Gay also serves as a board member of SAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environment) Inc., whose mission is to engage our community in working together to prevent and reduce substance abuse.
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Jail Administrative Lieutenant
Kittitas County, WALieutenant Edward Buntin has been with the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office Jail for almost 21 years. He is the Administrative Lt. who oversees accreditation, clerical, training, recruiting, community engagement, programming, 1115 Waiver reentry team, contracts, and grant procurement and management. Over the last couple of years, Lt. Buntin has also had the opportunity to work with the BJA/DOJ and various partners on projects surrounding MOUD/MAT and other programming in carceral facilities, including parts of the Building Bridges 2 Initiative and the development of the Guidelines for Managing Substance Withdrawal in Jails. He continues to serve as a faculty member in Minnesota and Oregon, focusing on SUD in Jail ECHO Programs. Lt. Buntin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education from Central Washington University and has completed his Middle Management Certification with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, as well as the Emerging Leadership Certificate from the National Command & Staff College.
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Middleton Jail Superintendent
Essex County, MAAaron W. Eastman has served as Superintendent of the Middleton House of Correction (MHOC) and Jail for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department (ECSD) since 2017. He began his career with ECSD in 2000 as a Correctional Officer progressing steadily through various positions that expanded his skills and leadership, now with 25 years of experience in law enforcement. Starting his career as a Correctional Officer, he has come up through the ranks and was first named Superintendent in 2016. He has a strong background in care, custody, and today he is responsible for all day-to-day operations to include all correctional and law enforcement duties for over four hundred staff and eight hundred inmates. He was also a reserve Police Officer in Gloucester MA.
Dedicated to the care and custody of those incarcerated at MHOC, Superintendent Eastman is responsible for all day-to-day operations of over 400 staff and 800 inmates. His priority is reducing Use of Force (UOF) incidents through de-escalation techniques, Critical Incident Training (CIT), and defensive tactics training. These efforts have led to a 32.5% reduction in UOF incidents from 2022 to 2023. Superintendent Eastman’s team-centered approach to training and education has created a safer environment for both staff and inmates alike.
Superintendent Eastman holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Curry College and a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Springfield College. He is a certified Massachusetts Counsel Against Discrimination (MCAD) Investigator and Trainer; a Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun Instructor through the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee; and an active member of several professional organizations, including the FBI-LEEDA Program, American Correctional Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and American Jail Association.
Meet the Speakers
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Sheriff's Office Inmate Programs Manager
Chesterfield County, VABailey Hilliard is the Inmate Programs Manager at the Chesterfield County Jail (CCJ). She has her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Ohio State University. Bailey oversees the operation of the Helping Addicts Recover Progressively (HARP) Program and all other rehabilitative programming within CCJ. Capitalizing on a professional background in substance abuse programming, mental health programming, and re-entry services, Bailey is responsible for the monitoring, growth, and development of programming at CCJ. She supervises two program Deputies, the Re-Entry Coordinator and the Grant Assistant, as well as all volunteers and facilitators at the facility. All of the work Bailey does is to help return happy, healthy, and productive members of society to their homes.
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Sheriff
Essex County, MAKevin F. Coppinger became Essex County Sheriff in January 2017 and is currently in his second term in office.
Sheriff Coppinger has close to 40 years of law enforcement experience in Essex County. He started his career as a police officer in Lynnfield, before joining the Lynn Police Department in 1985. After coming up through the ranks, he was named Chief of Police in 2009 and held that position until he was sworn in as the Essex County Sheriff in 2017.
One of his first priorities was to increase training opportunities for staff, at all levels, to ensure the safety of all who work, visit, or reside within correctional facilities. His mantra for all employees is “Honesty. Integrity. Respect.” Sheriff Coppinger credits the hard work, service, and professionalism of his employees for the successes seen in Essex County.
Society today demands that correctional facilities strive to address the root causes of crime, including Substance Use Disorder, Mental Illness, and other contributing behaviors while an individual serves out their sentence. Essex County offers a wide range of related programs, including Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for those fighting addiction; the Correctional Opportunities for Personal Enrichment (COPE) program offering an innovative option for those needing mental health services; and the Supporting Transitions and Re-entry (STAR) program which is a new community-based program in partnership with dozens of local partners to help individuals remain free of the justice system.
Sheriff Coppinger holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the Northeastern University and a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College. He is also a graduate of the 203rdSession of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy in Quantico, Virginia as well as the FBI-LEEDA Program.
Sheriff Coppinger is an active member of the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Sheriffs’ Association, Essex County Chiefs of Police Association, Police Executive Research Forum, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy Associates. He is a member of the Massachusetts Police Training Committee, as well. Coppinger is also an Advisory Board member for the North Shore Community College’s Criminal Justice Program; Violently Injured Police Officers Organization (VIPO); and UTEC, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the success of today’s youth. -
Captain, Health and Programming Unit
Ventura County, CACaptain William Hutton has served as a member with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office for over 28 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from California Coast University. Beginning in 1995, he worked as an explorer for the city of Thousand Oaks, and in 1997, he became a traffic cadet for the city of Camarillo. In 1998, William was hired as a deputy sheriff. His tenure with the Sheriff's Office has encompassed a variety of assignments ranging from Detention, Court and Patrol Services, as well as extensive experience in investigations. Prior to promoting to captain, William worked in the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau where he supervised a team of homicide investigators. He has also held many collateral assignments including Public Information Officer (PIO), Peer Support Cadre/Officer Involved Shooting Support Team Member, Incident Management Team, Department Drug Recognition Expert Coordinator, and Terrorism Liaison Officer. William remains active in the community, volunteering his time at numerous community and charitable events.
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Clinical Supervisor, MOUD Program
Essex County, MASamantha Rheaume has six years of clinical experience working as a vendor for the Essex County Sheriff's Department in various roles, currently serving as the Clinical Supervisor of the MOUD Program. She holds a Masters of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Cambridge College and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of MA. Her experience includes community settings responding to trauma and incarcerated individuals struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.
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Chief Medical Officer
Franklin County, OHDr. Jimmy D. Fernandez serves as the Chief Medical and Interim Behavioral Health Officer of Armor Health, where he leads efforts to improve the quality and safety of healthcare in correctional settings. He trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Miami, FL, and holds an MBA with specialization in Health Sector Management. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Physicians (FACP) and the American College of Correctional Physicians (FACCP), reflecting his dedication to advancing excellence in medicine and correctional health.
At Armor, Dr. Fernandez has guided the integration of medical, psychiatric, and behavioral health services into a unified model of care. Under his leadership, Armor has achieved measurable improvements, including reducing avoidable hospital admissions to rates far below community benchmarks. His initiatives include expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder, strengthening suicide prevention programs, embedding behavioral health into daily medical practice, and developing reentry planning that supports continuity of care after release.
Dr. Fernandez is passionate about ensuring that incarcerated individuals—often among society’s most vulnerable—receive care that is safe, evidence-based, and focused on long-term recovery and reintegration. -
Assistant Superintendent
Essex County, MAMr. Jason W. Faro has served with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office since 1998, rising through the ranks from a correctional officer to his present position of assistant superintendent. He is currently responsible for the day-to-day operations of the newly formed Specialized Reentry Services Division. Mr. Faro currently manages all services that involve medication-assisted treatment, offender diversion programming, and pretrial reentry services. Mr. Faro holds a BS in criminal justice and political science and an MS in human services. He is a graduate of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department Basic Training Academy, Middleton, Massachusetts and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, US Border Patrol Academy Class 284, Artesia, New Mexico. He also regularly acts as adjunct faculty at local colleges instructing on subjects of criminology, corrections, and treatment within correctional settings.