Oklahoma County

PROJECT PURPOSE

As the Oklahoma County community felt the pressure and instability of the pandemic, the impact was multiplied in high-risk congregate care centers, including justice-involved residents in the Oklahoma County Detention Center (OCDC). OCDC does not have enough medical and behavioral health space to handle the elevated need for services that the pandemic presents. Thus, Oklahoma County proposes to build a medical and behavioral health center to serve the myriad of conditions that present in a unique congregate care setting like OCDC. An in-depth study has already determined that there are no other alternatives and proposes that the center would be separate from the rest of the facility. This recently released architectural and programmatic research study determined that the OCDC?s physical infrastructure presents significant barriers to medical and behavioral healthcare services for residents and recommends a new medical/behavioral health facility to better deliver needed treatments and services. The research study considered both renovation and building a smaller annex but concluded that neither are feasible or cost effective.

EVIDENCE

Medical and mental health services are already validated by the most current, best practice standards that the current medical/behavioral health provider utilizes.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Unfortunately, the OCDC experiences elevated representation from community members from racial and ethnic minorities. Additionally, community members that are low-income and/or socially vulnerable are also well represented. Federal government data shows that such community members face negative health impacts at higher rates. However, because of the increased capacity that the center can deliver, outcomes should improve as they return to the community, especially since those services will be merged with post-release aftercare services.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Health performance measures and data collection already occurs for residents receiving medical and behavioral health services. Such health performance measures and data collection would continue. However, outcomes should improve as the service capacity expands to more residents. Additionally, out-patient services will increase as pre-release access is more easily facilitated for community providers

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma