Establishing a National Model for Correctional Medical and Mental Healthcare

The Dallas County Jail Medical Mental Health Modifications is a one-of-a-kind facility renovation and modification of the lowest three floors of the Lew Sterrett North Jail Tower in Dallas. Operated by the nearby New Parkland Hospital, also designed by HDR, the jail modification creates a stand-alone, centralized medical-mental health services facility with the primary goal to limit the number of inmate visits to Parkland’s emergency room and the number of inpatient stays. And, while on-site correctional health is managed through a unique partnership with the nearby hospital, the improvements completed for the Dallas County Jail establish the facility as a national model for correctional healthcare.

With minor modifications to several floors of the west jail tower, the following components are now included:

• Mental health program spaces, with two distinct aspects of the design solution that include segregated movement for mental health inmate patients and a secure suite for clinicians and staff movement
• A separate path of movement through the facility for mental health inmate-patients to provide the proper treatment environments and increase positive outcomes
• The core design of the treatment floor incorporates a secure suite to allow clinicians and security staff free and unobstructed movement between treatment areas in a secure environment, to decrease response times​
• Renovated space includes separate medical and mental health clinics
• A dental office
• A full service pharmacy
• A radiology unit
• Two intensive care units, one for men and one for women
• Medical staff offices