Harris County officials will provide support for the Harris County Women’s Center Jail to that women who will re-enter society by giving mental health support, job training, and substance abuse support.
$5 Million From Harris County Officials To Support Incarcerated Women In Harris County Women’s Center Jail By Providing Supportive Programming To Reenter Society (PHOTO: Chron)
Harris County Officials Devote Nearly $5 Million To Support Incarcerated Women
The funding to Harris County Women’s Center Jail is approved by Commissioners Court last week, the $4.7 million will provide mental health support, trauma counseling, job training, and substance abuse support for incarcerated women.
Huston Public Media reported about Tuesday’s conference, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the money would help incarcerated women reenter society successfully and reduce recidivism. Hidalgo also cited that research shows individualized attention is what creates a difference in successful reentry and lessens recidivism. Hence, the Harris County Women’s Center Jail will offer these services on a one-to-one basis, which is unprecedented in this matter, Hidalgo added to her statements.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Open The Center In February
In February Harris County Sheriff’s Office opened the center and Hidalgo said that the facility will house “minimum and medium security women” who’re facing charges with “crimes like trespassing, vandalism, disorderly conduct, non-aggravated theft, drug possession.”
Approximately 87 percent of incarcerated women in Harris County between the ages of 26 to 35 suffer from mental health issues. Furthermore, in the Harris County Jail dashboard, about 30 percent of the jail’s inmate population receives psychiatric medication but only 7 percent of the population receives clinical mental health therapy.
Hidalgo noted that in Harris County Women’s Center Jail that those women who need mental health services will all obtain them 100 percent. This comes as the Harris County Jail carries on with struggle under the weight of an overcrowded jail center, leading to a record number of in-custody deaths last year.
As of Tuesday, according to the Harris County Jail dashboard around 9,721 people are in the jail and 998 people are outsourced to other facilities, and so far, at least 5 people have died in the jail this year. Hidalgo explained that the expanded programming at the Women’s Center Jail will use the American Rescue Plan budget and should be working within the next 7 months.
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