New Shawnee County Jail mental health wing opens to provide inmates a ‘path forward’
New unit can house 60 inmates awaiting trial
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -A new wing dedicated to mental health services at the Shawnee County Jail opened Monday morning. The unit can house 60 inmates.
New approach to treatment
“The beginning of a new way of doing business in Shawnee County, taking care of those who suffer with serious and persistent mental illness, giving them the opportunity to get the skills to stay on their medication, and to be safe while they’re in jail,” Brian Cole, director of Shawnee County Department of Corrections, said.
Officials said the added-on facility will allow for the treatment of inmates awaiting trial who suffer from various mental illnesses, including alcohol and drug addiction, or more serious risks.
“They may be getting specialized services around suicide if they’re actively suicidal; they’ll be getting all of those kinds of specialized supports,” Laura Howard, Secretary for Kansas Department for Aging and disability services, said.
Twelve years in development
The new wing has been in the works for 12 years, driven by a vision to resolve a growing population of inmates with undiagnosed and untreated mental illnesses.
“Our average population is about 600 inmates, and 50% of them would meet the criteria to come in here,” Cole said.
“There’s nothing therapeutic about a person staying in a cell 23 hours a day,” Howard said.
“People can wait months and months waiting for that competency opportunity; here, folks are going to get that from the beginning. This is good for the individual, this is good for the facility, it’s good for the criminal justice system, in terms of moving cases along,” Howard said.
District attorney weighs in
Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said the program will give inmates tools for success when they return to their communities.
“Whether it’s a misdemeanor offense or a lower-level non-violent offense, first-time offenders, people like that, we want to give them the same opportunities to be successful, because again, they’re going to have a chance to go back into the community, and so while they’re here we want to make sure we give them the best path forward,” Kagay said.
Funding
The new facility received $20 million in funding from the county and state combined, and $500,000 in private funding.
“This is a legacy for our community,” Cole said.
Cole said officials are looking at renovating other modules in the jail to meet the needs of the jail’s mental illness population.
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