Submitted by correspondent Virginia Bridges

Durham County Commissioner Joe Bowser reversed course this week and said he recalled making job candidate recommendations to at least three county supervisors

Last week, Bowser denied making such recommendations, beyond introducing a candidate to former Department of Social Services Director Gerri Robinson. 

Bowser's denial came after the county’s internal auditor, Richard Edwards, said two supervisors indicated Bowser recommended candidates for open job positions in their respective departments. 

The Durham Center, Durham County's mental-health, addiction and disability authority, has received $200,000 from the U.S. Justice Department to develop a Mental Health Jail Diversion Team.

Such teams are supposed to route mentally ill offenders into appropriate treatment rather than into conventional incarceration.
A Durham Center study found that, over a 17-month period in 2006-'07, more than 20 percent of the Durham County Jail population had severe, persistent mental illness.

The Durham Center has contracted with Alternative Care Treatment Systems, a private rehabilitation firm, to develop and implement the program.