📰 Dallas County Jail – Texas’ Second-Largest Mental Health Provider

Dallas County’s Lew Sterrett Jail has become Texas’s second-largest mental health provider, only behind Harris County, due to a shortage of state and local psychiatric hospital beds and staff deficiencies (Watson, 2017). Burnout and low pay are among the reasons for staffing shortages, and recruiting numbers are low (Dallas County, n.d.).

In an attempt to alleviate the demand, UT Southwestern is expected to open its new psychiatric facility, which will provide 200 adult beds and 96 pediatric spaces. The facility is expected to relieve some pressure on both the jail system and the broader community (UT Southwestern, 2023).

Doubling down on efforts to ease the pressure and serve inmates, a Dallas leader has strategically launched and overhauled the mental health resources within the jail system in response to the need (KERA News, 2017). Sheriff Marian Brown, Dallas’s first African-American woman elected to the office, has implemented initiatives and reconstruction projects to better serve inmates. Sheriff Brown stated, “many inmates are incarcerated due to underlying mental health problems” (D Magazine, 2025). Renovation partnerships included Parkland Hospital, which supported the developments within the facility.

Medical and mental health treatment units at Dallas County Jail, part of the renovations under Sheriff Marian Brown’s leadership. (Image source: HDR Inc., used for editorial purposes.)

The upgraded North Tower now hosts mental health housing for 145 inmates, a substance abuse detox center, mental health program spaces, and a full-service jail pharmacy, among other in-house medical services — leading some to suggest that these upgrades contribute to the stabilization of inmates suffering from mental health diagnoses (Foster CM Group, 2025).

Other efforts to minimize jail intakes and provide on-the-scene mental health support include the RIGHT Care Program. This measure is serviced by the Dallas Police Department, mental health providers, and fire rescue personnel (KERA News, 2019).

Although these initiatives have garnered community support, others express concern over the potential risks of expanding mental health accessibility through government systems. Michael Tanner of the CATO Institute warns of a possible shift from deinstitutionalization back toward institutionalization, invoking the history of abuse, neglect, and inhumane treatments such as forced shock therapy in past state-run facilities. He cautions, “…we should understand why deinstitutionalization happened in the first place, and why it enjoyed broad bipartisan support” (Tanner, 2018).

Mental health challenges are affecting families across the nation. Solutions all seem to come with benefits and adverse effects. Are there solutions to our nation’s mental well-being crisis? Is it better to privatize psychological care? And what can we do to continue assisting those who wouldn’t otherwise have access — if it were not offered through the government? Can our legislators effectively execute policy that will strike a constitutional approach to mental health without neglecting those in need? I want to hear your thoughts. Email producer@teresaluskshow.com.

About the Author

Teresa Lusk is a journalist, commentator, and host of Newsroom Teresa Lusk, where she interviews elected officials and civic leaders on the issues shaping Texas. She is also a professional communications coach, equipping public leaders, candidates, and executives with the tools to speak with clarity, confidence, and impact. Learn more at www.NewsroomTeresaLusk.com. Teresa is passionate about transparency, local governance, and empowering communities with the facts they need to stay informed and engaged.

References

Dallas County. (n.d.). Inmate health service fee and staffing challenges. https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/sheriff/inmate-health-service-fee/

Foster CM Group. (n.d.). Dallas County Jail – Medical Modifications Project. Retrieved April 29, 2025, from https://fostercmgroup.com/?viba_portfolio=dallas-county-jail-medical-modifications-project

KERA News. (2017, April 5). Dallas County plan strives to help people with mental illness avoid unnecessary jail time. KERA. https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2017-04-05/dallas-county-plan-strives-to-help-people-with-mental-illness-avoid-unnecessary-jail-time

KERA News. (2019, August 5). How RIGHT Care is changing mental health crisis response in Dallas. https://www.keranews.org/health-wellness/2019-08-05/how-right-care-is-changing-mental-health-crisis-response-in-dallas

Tanner, M. D. (2018, March 2). Tread carefully on mental health reform. Cato Institute. https://www.cato.org/commentary/tread-carefully-mental-health-reform

UT Southwestern. (2023, September 6). Texas Behavioral Health Center at UT Southwestern takes shape. UT Southwestern Medical Center. https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/ctplus/stories/2023/new-behavioral-health-center.html

Watson, A. (2017, April 5). Dallas County plan strives to help people with mental illness avoid unnecessary jail time. KERA News. https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2017-04-05/dallas-county-plan-strives-to-help-people-with-mental-illness-avoid-unnecessary-jail-time

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