COLUMBUS, OH -- Stearns County Commissioner DeWayne Mareck is wrapping up a trip to Columbus, Ohio where he is taking part in the National Association of Counties annual meeting.

Mareck says he's been attending workshops on telecommunications, cyber security and mental health in the jail system.

There are statistics indicating that as many as 25% of the inmates in county jails have mental health issues. Mareck says it could be a way to get the people who need mental health services the help they need sooner.

Mareck says he loves to take ideas back to his colleagues and to other staff to see if it can create efficiencies and improvements in Stearns County's operations.

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