LOWNDES COUNTY, GA — New investments in Lowndes County are changing how the community responds to mental health crises on the streets and behind bars.
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About half of inmates coming into the Lowndes County Jail are experiencing some form of mental illness. The facility has a capacity of nearly 1,000 inmates, but only 90 beds are dedicated to mental health care.
To close that gap, a nearly $9 million expansion is creating a specialized unit designed to separate inmates with mental health needs from the general population and provide a safer, more controlled environment.
"Especially with our mental health, they tend to not function as well around other inmates — more prone to outbursts, more prone to being victimized — so we’ve set aside these areas to bring them into a quieter, more manageable environment," Lowndes County Jail Captain Jason Clifton said.
Even with more space, treatment delays remain a major issue. Some inmates wait months or even years for care.
"I would like to see a partnership with the state of Georgia to provide services inside of these facilities because they’re waiting for these services," Clifton said.
The push for better mental health care is also extending beyond the jail walls. A $211,000 federal grant, backed by Georgia Congressmen Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, is funding a co-responder program. The initiative pairs mental health professionals with law enforcement to respond to crises in real time.
"Everybody deserves to have a happy, functional life, and we can help those having those difficulties, identifying those issues for mental health," Stephanie Davis with Legacy Behavioral Health said.
For many, the jail has become a stopgap rather than a solution. Leaders say the bigger question is how to treat mental illness before individuals end up in the criminal justice system.
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