Douglas County breaks ground on jail’s mental health addition

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Douglas County officials are calling it a step toward breaking the cycle for those who end up in jail because of mental health issues.

They broke ground on the future mental health facility addition to the county jail Tuesday.

This 35,000 square foot facility is designed to provide services to inmates who are suicidal, experiencing psychosis or schizophrenia, or other severe mental illnesses.

It will be built above the gated parking lot right next to the county jail and will include 80 beds. Services will include counseling and pharmaceutical treatment.

Douglas County Department of Corrections director Mike Myers said it comes at a crucial time: For the second straight month, more than 50 percent of the inmate population has been diagnosed with a mental illness.

On top of that, the number of inmates placed on suicide precautions and withdrawal protocols for opioids and alcohol has nearly doubled in the last three years.

That comes as no surprise to county commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson. She said the effort to build this facility culminated following the state’s behavioral health reform in the early 2000s.

“We started talking about how closing of those facilities would provide an increase in those with mental illness coming to our jails,” Borgeson said. Sure enough, that’s what happened.”

With the new space, Myers said his staff will be able to better treat these inmates and take care of others housed there.

“Removing our individuals on suicide precautions and withdrawal protocols to a safer and more therapeutic environment will not only allow us to stabilize them more effectively, but will allow our medical team to provide more focus on our medically fragile population,” Myers said.

He added it will make it safer for corrections staff, too.

The goal is also to set inmates up with continued long-term care when they’re released to try and reduce how many of them end up back in jail.

“Hopefully, not only just stabilizing them while they’re in custody, but setting them up to have that continuation of care so they’re successful when they’re released,” Myers said.

The $34 million project is paid for entirely through ARPA funds.

Corrections expects to finish the project in late 2026.

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