WARSAW — Barry Andrew has officially accepted the position as executive director of Kosciusko County Community Corrections.

Andrew, who was the original Community Corrections director before leaving in 2016, had been serving as interim director since November 2019, following the departure of former director Anna Bailey.

Andrew said he is “excited and eager” to return to the position of KCCC executive director and looks forward to “getting the program back where it needs to be.” 

“It’s a wonderful opportunity that God has led me to,” Andrew said. “It’s exciting to know all the potential this program has and to know that I will be a part of the team that will bring all that potential out.”

Andrew is director of Kosciusko County Alcohol And Drug Program but said he anticipates that he will be resigning from that position in the near future due to his acceptance of the KCCC director position.

“I am currently working with the supervising judge of KCADP, and the chief of probation department on a transition plan for that position,” Andrew said. “The transition plan will also include a process on filling the position.”

Andrew said three major changes were made to the Community Corrections program during a recent 30-day “hold.” Those changes included implementing a new application process, training and empowering staff to do their jobs and reviewing and upgrading the program application. 

Regarding future changes, Andrew said they will begin the process by reviewing the program from the ground up.

“I anticipate that we will have many changes that will need to be made,” Andrew said. “But the biggest change we’ve made and will continue to improve on is simply to provide consistency to the program and participants.”

The department has been under scrutiny in recent years. In 2017, a community corrections officer was arrested after he removed a monitoring bracelet from a female offender he was supervising and took her to Valparaiso for a weekend. Then, in 2019, Bailey and her administrative assistant left their positions and were later charged following alleged KCCC violations and criminal activity. 

When asked what steps could be taken in order to ensure that these types of incidents do not occur in the future, Andrew said proper leadership is key.

“When program accountability and personal accountability is part of our daily routine, then the hope and goal is to grow professionally, personally and at the program level,” Andrew said. “I believe when you have leadership in place that can be trusted, when leadership encourages and supports its staff in positive manners and direction, staff will want to come to work and do their best for the team and participants.”

Andrew, a Warsaw native, began playing soccer at the age of 5, and continued playing throughout his high school years. After graduating from Warsaw Community High School in 1994, he attended Grace College on a soccer scholarship.

From 1998 to 2003, he worked full-time as a counselor for Bowen Center where he practiced individual and group substance abuse counseling.

Andrew and his wife, Joye, reside in Winona Lake. They have five children: Tate, Reid, Max, Ben and Lucy.

“I believe this is God’s next step for me,” said Andrew. “I have served in my current position for 17 years and it’s been an honor to be a part of KCADP.”

“My job on a daily basis is to serve well and love well each and every day and to remain humble and be thankful,” Andrew said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be trusted in this position. I will do my best each day.”