Minnesota Jail Makes Strides with Mental Health Treatment

MOORHEAD (AP)-- A recently renovated county jail in Minnesota is now better equipped to treat inmates with mental health issues.

The Clay County Correctional Facility in Moorhead underwent a $52 million renovation that included adding an 18-bed behavioral health unit. The unit features soundproofing to help keep noise to a minimum, as well as individual cells and a shared space outside the cells.

Jail Administrator Julie Savat says staff hope to keep more detailed data on inmates with mental illness, and expand training and programming to address inmates' mental health needs.

The county has also approved having two full-time mental health care providers work from the jail.

County officials are still creating measures that will assess if the changes were successful.