Douglas County Jail to Add Mental Health Facility

Aim is to address crises, detox, and self-harm risks among inmates.

A mental health facility is under construction at the Douglas County Jail, with the goal of providing crucial services to incarcerated individuals facing mental health challenges. Officials estimate the facility will be ready by late 2026.

Crucial Support for Inmates

The Douglas County Corrections Department hopes to use the facility to serve people experiencing acute mental health crises. It will also support those undergoing drug and alcohol detox, and incarcerated people at risk of self-harm.

According to county officials, at least 50% of incarcerated individuals at the jail have a diagnosed mental health condition. This highlights the critical need for such a facility.

A “Topping Out” ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the progress of the 35,000-square-foot, three-story building. Federal funds allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act are funding the project.

Never Give Up: A Second Chance

Shane Reilly, who has been incarcerated at the Douglas County jail several times, believes this new facility is essential. He now volunteers at the jail on Saturdays as a way of giving back.

Never Give Up is not only a personal motto for many but also the name of **Reilly’s** North Omaha program. It is designed to assist men transitioning from prison back into society.

“We get them signed up for EBT, we get them signed up for Medicaid, we help them find a job. We transport them to and from that job,” Shane Reilly told KETV Wednesday.

**Travis Stierlen**, who has benefited from **Reilly’s** guidance, stated, “Shane gives us just the road map, and he says you’re going to follow me for these 90 days and you’re going to see what happens.”

From Struggle to Success

Before founding “Never Give Up,” **Reilly** battled severe addiction. “I couldn’t get a hold of my addiction. My addiction got a hold of me,” he confessed.

Having spent 20 years in various correctional institutions, **Reilly** shared, “I would come out. I’d want to do good.”

Since his last release in 2016, **Reilly** earned a master’s degree and has dedicated the past four years to leading his nonprofit.

**Reilly** emphasizes the broader impact of re-entry, stating, “People don’t understand out there, that re-entry and coming back into society from prison, it affects every aspect of our society and our community.”

That’s why he is confident the new mental health facility will be transformative: “Hopefully, this mental health unit will allow some of these guys to deal with and uproot some of these issues that they have with their mental health and their addictions,” Reilly said.

Every Saturday, **Reilly** leads cognitive behavioral therapy sessions from a Biblical perspective at the jail. “I get to interact with the guys and teach the guys and tell them, you know, where I failed and where I succeeded and what they can do,” he explained.

Across the U.S., about 20% of state prisoners and 24% of jail inmates have a mental illness, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS 2017).

**Reilly** hopes to see a nationwide increase in the prioritization of mental health care within correctional facilities.

Learn more about “Never Give Up” at their website.