The Newton County Sheriff’s Office was awarded its third National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) Reaccreditation Award during the Newton County Board of Commissioners meeting July 21.

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with NaphCare, met 100% of the 37 essential standards and 19 important standards required to receive its third reaccreditation, effective June 11, according to a news release. 

The accreditation provides the Sheriff’s Office with evidence of a standards-based system of care for inmates; improved health status and outcomes; and reduced public health risks when inmates re-enter the community. There are 59 individual standards, with close to 400 compliance indicators, required for full accreditation. 

In February 2014, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office met the standards to be awarded its first accreditation by the NCCHC. There are an estimated 500 NCCHC accredited facilities out of 3,100 counties across the nation. 

Sheriff Ezell Brown said the National Commission on Correctional Heath Care accreditation is a component of the National Sheriff’s Association Triple Crown Award. 

He said his office was to receive the reaccreditation in early May in Atlanta before being canceled due to COVID-19.

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office was awarded the National Sheriff’s Association Triple Crown Award on June 26, 2017. A total of 48 facilities across the nation have obtained “Triple Crown” status, with 46 of those being Sheriff’s Offices. 

Out of the 159 Sheriff’s Offices in the state of Georgia, Newton County Sheriff’s Office is one of six to obtain “Triple Crown” status. 

To obtain the National Sheriff’s Association Triple Crown Award, agencies must obtain accreditation from the  Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the American Correctional Association's Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (ACA) and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC).