A groundbreaking initiative led by the Intermountain Health Community Health Team and Cheryl Swapp, a dedicated community health worker with the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Department, has significantly reduced recidivism rates at the Sanpete County Jail. Over the past 18 months, the program has achieved a remarkable 61% reduction in repeat offender bookings.

Before Swapp’s involvement, Sanpete County recorded 599 repeat offender bookings within 18 months. Since her hiring and the implementation of the Community Health Worker Program, this number has dropped to 236. This substantial decrease highlights the program’s effectiveness in supporting incarcerated individuals with substance use and opioid use disorders.

The success of this initiative was recently showcased at the 2024 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Reverse Site Visit Meetings in Washington, D.C. Out of hundreds of grantees, Intermountain’s Community Health team was one of six selected to present. Their presentation was awarded top honors based on community impact, creativity, wow factor, applicability, and overall presentation.

The project began in 2020 with a HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Planning Grant, allowing Intermountain Health to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment in Central Utah. In 2021, the organization received two additional HRSA grants, totaling $1.5 million, to further address opioid use in the region. This funding enabled the hiring of Swapp in July 2022.

Swapp’s role extends beyond the jail walls, advocating for individuals both during their incarceration and after their release. Her work includes conducting substance and opioid use screenings, facilitating Moral Reconation Therapy, and coordinating peer support classes with USARA (Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness).

“Cheryl is deeply connected to the community she serves. She advocates effectively for the individuals she works with and supports them with compassion, thoughtfulness, and empathy,” said Sarah Diefendorf, Intermountain Community Health director. “Cheryl embodies the best of community health workers and caregivers, and we could not do this work without her.”

The program’s impact is exemplified by individuals like Dominique Felton, who turned her life around with Swapp’s help. Felton, who had been using drugs since she was 13 and was incarcerated with 10 warrants, credits Swapp with her recovery. “Cheryl kept in contact with a rehab [facility] that I wanted to go to and made sure they had a bed for me,” Felton said. “Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Felton is now over a year sober, employed, and reconnected with her children.

“Access to resources is a necessity for individuals leaving incarceration. With our Community Health Worker, we now have the tools to effectively assist these individuals in reintegrating into the community,” said Sgt. Gretchen Nunley of the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office. “Rather than departing without guidance on their next steps, they leave with a plan and a sense of security, knowing they have our community health worker to support them.”

The success of this program underscores the importance of community collaboration. Key partners include the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office, Central Utah Counseling Center, Central Utah Department of Health, Fourpoints Health, Salt Lake Harm Reduction Coalition, Snow College, South Sanpete County School District, Utah Office of the Medical Examiner and USARA.

“I think this work embodies one of our core values as an organization: that we are better together,” Diefendorf said. “We would not see the success we celebrate today with our work on opioid use in Central Utah without the strong support and collaboration with our community partners and project officers at HRSA.”

This project is funded entirely by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), reflecting the federal commitment to addressing the opioid crisis and supporting community health initiatives.

For more information about the program or to get involved, please contact the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Department or Intermountain Health’s Community Health Team.

Newsletter