Douglas County Commission votes to move forward on crisis intervention center

With a unanimous vote and little discussion Wednesday, Douglas County commissioners approved signing a letter of intent to move forward on a crisis intervention center with Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.

The letter of intent formalizes talks over the past few months of building a facility as a means to divert some who suffer severe mental illness from the Douglas County Jail. It affirms the agreement that the county will provide the capital if Bert Nash provides the land for the center.

County Administrator Craig Weinaug said Tuesday that Bert Nash owns some land north of Second Street, near the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department. The land is a good distance from the jail, which Weinaug said was the intent for the crisis intervention center.

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Weinaug said Tuesday that the next steps to follow in January will be selecting an architecture firm to put together a preliminary design plan and cost estimates for the center.

“That will then enable the County Commission to start to grapple with the issue of how they will pay for it,” Weinaug said.

The letter of intent follows the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s receipt of a $200,000 federal grant to help offer treatment alternatives to jail, and commissioners’ proclamation of the county’s support for these efforts.

Commissioners also approved the renewal of contracts for medical and mental health services for the Douglas County Jail, as well as 2015 budget amendments.

The Douglas County Commission meets at 4 p.m. each Wednesday at the Douglas County Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. Full meeting agendas are available online at douglascountyks.org.