Officials in Washington County set a goal date of October 1, 2016 for the opening of the state’s first Day Reporting Center.

County Sheriff Douglas W. Mullendore and program director Rebecca Hogamier have been working hard to meet that goal while renovations on building to house the center are underway.

The Herald-Mail reports:

“We’ve been meeting on a regular basis with our partners and so forth, developing the program,” Mullendore said. “We’re preparing to begin and start seeing clients.”

With a goal to reduce recidivism rates, jail populations and associated corrections-related costs, the program would require participation for a minimum number of days.

Those who do not meet the criteria either will be sent back to an earlier phase or returned to jail, officials have said.

County officials have discussed charging a fee of $5 per visit for eligible drug offenders, including those under parole, probation or pretrial suspension.

Establishing a day-reporting model for the state was a priority recommended by Gov. Larry Hogan’s Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force. State officials in late July announced that the county would receive a $540,000 grant to start the program and serve as a statewide pilot.

The money offsets much of the initial startup costs for the facility, located behind the county sheriff’s office and Washington County Detention Center off Western Maryland Parkway.

Prior to receiving the grant, the county had dedicated more than $600,000 in the current fiscal year’s to start the program, a goal of Mullendore’s for several years now.

Read the full article in The Herald-Mail to learn more.