LINCOLN- The county jail in downtown Omaha received approval to build a mental health treatment unit as well as further approval for a new Community Mental Health Center. The County Board voted at their latest meeting to direct county staff to initiate a capital improvement project for building the addition to the Douglas County Jail, 710 S. 17th St. This process begins the search for contractors and architects before requiring more approval from the board.

First estimates put the cost of the building at $33 million with an unknown number for adequate parking. The money would come out of the $50 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that the County Board earmarked for mental health projects. The addition is meant to address the chronic and growing problem of large numbers of people with mental illness in the Douglas County Jail, often with misdemeanor offenses.

The vote was 5-2. Roger Garcia and Maureen Boyle joined Morgan, Friend and Cavanaugh in voting yes. Mary Ann Borgeson and Chris Rodgers voted no. Borgeson said people had missed the point of putting the two facilities near each other, which she said was to better serve the population that county jail and mental health staff already jointly serve.

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