Douglas County accepts $250,000 Sherwood grant to continue jail intensive outpatient program

The Douglas County Board accepted a one-year, $250,000 grant from the Sherwood Foundation to continue a recovery therapeutic community intensive outpatient program (IOP) inside the Douglas County Correctional Center, a presenter said during the consent-agenda discussion.

Sarah Baker, director of outpatient at the Douglas County Community Mental Health Center, said the IOP treats individuals with both substance use and mental health diagnoses. "An intensive outpatient program provides 10 hours of therapeutic treatment a week. Individuals are in the program for a total of 10 weeks," Baker said. Therapists are housed inside the correctional facility and run group and individual sessions.

Baker said the program has operated since 2023 under a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) federal grant that is expiring on Sept. 30; she said the prior federal funding covered multiple years and amounted to over $900,000 across roughly four years, but she did not have the exact figure on hand. The Sherwood grant would replace the expiring federal funding through the end of the next fiscal year (June 30, 2027), Baker said.

Commissioner Borgeson asked for details about who awarded the funds and their amount; Baker confirmed the Sherwood Foundation awarded $250,000 to support access to treatment for inmates at the correctional center. The clerk later noted a minor change to the resolution's last paragraph to authorize the signer of the agreement.

The grant acceptance was considered part of the consent agenda approved by the board; the board recorded a unanimous vote for the consent slate (6–0).