Beltrami County Receives National Award for Reset Program at Jail

In this photo taken on July 16, 2024, Beltrami County Board Chair John Carlson presents Reset Social Worker Amanda Sachau with the National Association of Counties National Achievement Award for the Reset Program. From left to right: Commissioner John Carlson, Reset Social Worker Amanda Sachau, Commissioner Richard Anderson, Commissioner Tim Sumner, Commissioner Joe Gould, Sheriff Jason Riggs, Commissioner Craig Gaasvig and Health & Human Services Director Anne Lindseth. (Credit: Beltrami County)

Beltrami County has received a National Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties for the county’s Reset Program at the jail.

Amanda Sachau is the social worker that was put in charge of the program, which prepares current inmates to exit the Beltrami County Jail. Sachau did all of this while working in a converted office that was once a janitor’s closet.

“I’m proud of the work I’ve done,” said Sachau. “It’s such a great success for me and success for the clients that I’m working with. So it’s definitely an honor to accept this award.”

“She truly cares about the people she’s working with,” added Jeffrey Lind, Beltrami County Health and Human Services Social Services Division Director. “What makes change for people is the ability to develop relationships, and she is able to develop relationships with not only the individuals who are incarcerated, but the program providers within the community. She’s phenomenal in the work she does.”

The program’s clients, inmates who are interested in a “reset,” will work with Sachau to develop a personalized plan to connect them with resources they may need to ensure they don’t end up back in the jail system.

“We discuss what their goals are, what they want when they are released,” Sachau explained. “A lot of the clients that I deal with go directly to treatment, so we just make those plans while they’re in jail, and then from there we work on the re-entry plan.”

“She’ll provide services in the jail that will help them maintain housing, make appointments, maintain their sobriety, things of that nature,” said Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs.

In 2022, 23% of inmates participated in the program. Over time, county staff have seen it become more successful.

“We were running about 50% of people that have taken the program that are not returning to custody within two years. I want to say 70 to 100 people, that’s probably been the number of people that have taken the services,” added Riggs.

Those involved in the Reset Program believe the credit should go towards the inmates who sign up for this program.

Sachau emphasized, “A lot of the credit has to go to the clients because they’re the ones that are putting in the work to make the changes in their life.”

“It is a voluntary program,” said Lind. “People who want to make changes in their lives, they are the ones that are finding the successes, and all we are doing is creating a path for them to move forward.”

Beltrami County hopes to expand the Reset Program at the new jail facility, where there will be a bigger office for Sachau as well as an additional social worker to help with the larger population.