Initial funding OKed for Shelby County inmate mental health, diversion center

A new inmate mental health center could be on the horizon in Shelby County after Shelby County Commissioners approved an $18 million expenditure to support the design and build of the project. The item was approved overwhelmingly by commissioners Tuesday, with Commissioner Britney Thornton being the sole no vote.

The new mental health facility will be modeled after a similar facility in Nashville but will be adapted to the needs of Shelby County. In Nashville, individuals exhibiting signs of mental illness upon booking see a mental health clinician who then can refer them to the Davidson County Behavioral Care Center.

Deputy Chief of Staff for Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris Frankie Dakin said that within the facility's first two years of being opened, it has served over 700 individuals. Upon successful completion of the program in Nashville, charges are dismissed for detainees.

Data from the BCC’s first two years returned a 29% recidivism rate, which is 17% lower than the Tennessee average of 46%. The reduction in recidivism is something stakeholders in Shelby County hope to see.

How will the mental health facility be funded?

The $18 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated for the facility were previously earmarked for revenue loss. The project will also use the $2.5 million in ARPA funds that were allocated for surveying the facility, with an estimated total cost of $21 million.

The county will adopt a new approach to constructing the facility, using a construction contract management system called "Construction Manager at Risk." According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a CMR is a delivery method of a project where a construction manager is brought on early in the design process. The construction manager works with designers, who are typically hired out separately, and works from the early planning stages.

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Dakin said that using the CMR model would keep the cost capped at the funding allowed.

All ARPA funds must be allocated by Dec. 31, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026. If the county government does not spend all the ARPA dollars, it has to be returned back. The construction would be on a tight schedule, Public Works Director Cliff Norville said during the meeting. He added that the administration hopes to bring a design contract for approval in June and a construction manager contract up for approval in December.

Previously, estimates for the facility were over $25 million and would have been funded through capital improvement project funds and take multiple fiscal years to fund.

Much of the discussion surrounded support for the mental health facility, but some commissioners expressed concern over the cost of the project going over budget and if the county would be on the hook for it. Commissioner Amber Mills expressed concern over the amount of beds in the proposal compared to the cost. Mills said that the 60 beds and the $21 million price tag for the facility do not add up to the amount she has seen for similar projects.

Dakin said that the cost and bed estimate came from conversations with architects and other experts in the field.

Commissioners also approved funding for a new jail study, which was initially included in the resolution but was separated out after Commissioner Henri E. Brooks requested it during committee meetings.

Jail food provider contract OKed

The contract for food service at the various Shelby County correctional facilities was also approved, despite requests from Thornton and fellow Commissioner Erika Sugarmon to send the contract out for re-bidding.

Thornton has been advocating for larger county contracts to be given to more minority-owned businesses and Thornton emphasized that there are multiple local businesses in Shelby County that could have the capacity to take on a correctional food contract if the language was changed in the Request for Proposal and if contracts were separate for the different facilities.

Sugarman's main point of contention came from complaints regarding the food from current inmates at 201 Poplar during her visits. Vice Chairman Charlie Caswell also expressed concern about the food in the facility that is provided by Aramark.

Sugarmon and Thornton voted no on the contract renewal and Caswell abstained.

Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County Government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal.com and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter @BrookeMuckerman.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County inmate mental health facility gets commission approval