Name: Lee County Jail opens new wing for mentally ill inmates
Uploaded: 2020-03-09T17:22:46.000Z
Duration: 2 min 52 s
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Billy County jail is creating a special area for mentally ill inmates.

Currently, inmates who have a chronic mental illness are usually placed in a cell alone, and they don't get many privileges.

But is NBC two's Kristina Mendez finds, that's all about to change.

She takes you inside this brand new wing.

Today, seven male inmates with chronic mental illnesses will be moved to this new unit by housing these inmates together, The Lee County Sheriff's Office believes it will allow specially trained officers and mental health staff to better monitor their needs while serving time for a crime.

They commit a crime that hold accountable for that crime.

But they're not just thrown into a general population.

Under share of Carmine Marcie Know was talking about inmates with chronic mental illness is, according to the Commonwealth Fund, Florida ranks 48th and per capita spending on mental health care.

Today, the Lee County jealous opening this brand new wing within the correctional facility Step down is for certain inmates diagnosed with mental illness is such a schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and must be ableto live with others Lieutenant Tom Anderson helped move this approach to housing forward and have something in the middle to teach them how to better cope.

How do interact with other individuals better, how to be more compliant with their medication howto have better hygiene standards for themselves, and this will really help us for that day.

When they do get released, certain mentally ill inmates will go from a cell like this one, where their house alone or with one other roommate to an area set up dorm style.

These inmates will also be given more privileges, which could include access to commissary, TV time and board games to create a calm atmosphere.

Soothing music plays in each room, and the walls are painted light blue, having them all in the same housing unit together.

It's much easier for our mental health team to come in here and see all of them on a much more frequent basis.

Officers here are specially trained in crisis intervention and our experts and verbally deescalating situations with the mentally ill.

I think we have to concentrate on our own community right here in Fort Myers.

For Al Kinkle, this new facility hits close to home his daughter passed away two years ago from an overdose and was dual diagnosed with mental health issues have a opportunity.

If they are incarcerated to have a facility that will take care of some of those mental issues that they have, I think we'll put him into society in a better condition.

 Corrections Bureau is working with community partners who can help re integrate recently released mentally ill inmates back into our community reporting in Lee County Kristina Mendez, NBC, too. 