OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. –
Construction on Oklahoma County’s new Behavioral Care Center is moving along, and News 9 got an exclusive first look at the facility, which will sit next to the future county jail.
The center is taking shape near Southeast 15th Street and Grand Boulevard. Even though funding for a new jail is still uncertain, the Behavioral Care Center will open on schedule to provide mental health care for inmates through a diversion program.
Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson and the site foreman gave a hard hat tour of the 56,000-square-foot facility, which will house 60 beds across four pods, including larger rooms for people of size. Each room is built with safety in mind, featuring anti-suicide fixtures, secure doors, reinforced walls, and individual water shutoffs.
“The problems we have at the current facility — there was never any medical built for it,” Davidson said. “This one has medical in mind every step of the way.”
The center will also include nurses’ stations, offices, and an on-site pharmacy.
“As people are coming down off of drug overdoses, we’ll actually be able to treat them on site instead of having to ship them to a hospital,” Davidson said.
Common areas and outdoor spaces are designed to provide a light, airy feel, including quiet outdoor spots where patients can decompress.
The Behavioral Care Center supports a mental health diversion program in which medical professionals, judges, and attorneys work together to help eligible participants get treatment and clear their deferred sentences upon completion. Davidson said the program will help keep people out of jail and help them transition to jobs and independence.
Voters approved bond money to start phase one of the new county jail, but county leaders are still exploring additional funding options, including a permanent sales tax or marijuana sales tax.
The $44.4 million Behavioral Care Center is funded with federal ARPA dollars and is on track to be completed and open by the end of the year.