TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Shawnee County Department of Corrections plans to open a new facility designed to address inmates’ mental health.
The department has seen up to 51% of its population facing serious mental challenges, according to Maj. Timothy Phelps, deputy director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.
“There is a significant increase in the number of inmates who suffer from severe mental illness, and that isn’t going to change,” Phelps said. “So, what we have to do is change the way we approach management of this population because traditional correctional behaviors — or correctional controls — aren’t good for them.”
Facility design and capacity
The unit will house 60 inmates across three floors, and is separate from the Shawnee County Jail. The facility also features a seven-color palette intended to reduce stress.
Safety features include showers designed to lock from the outside to prevent other inmates from entering, while allowing inmates in crisis to exit on their own.
Inmates will be screened for mental health or behavioral health when they arrive at the facility. Screening results will determine placement in the unit, according to Maj. Joe Rucker, deputy director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.
Phelps said the department must recognize inmates as human beings entitled to care and resources that do not worsen their condition.
“That’s the court’s business; that’s the law enforcement officer’s business to identify when crimes are committed and put people in detention,” Phelps said. “Our business is to not harm them more when they’re inside the jail, and when they get released, they’re a better citizen.”
The first floor of the mental health facility will open in late August. The entire unit will be fully operational in 2027.
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