Salem adds space for court-ordered behavioral health treatment

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised Jackson House's new project, remarking that "this is about health care in action for those who need it." The Marion and Polk County Secure Residential Treatment Facility at 325 Lancaster Dr. S.E. will house up to 16 people at a time who have been ordered by a judge to receive psychiatric care.

Addressing the shortage of mental health treatment space in state hospitals, this facility will offer an alternative, keeping those experiencing mental illness out of emergency rooms, jails, and shelters. 

The 12,000 square foot building has two wings converging on a central community space and a walled outdoor area with a garden. Each room has a view of the outdoor space through a secure window. Although patients will not be permitted to leave, the goal is to make it feel less like a cell and more like a home. She described it as a smarter system that works to address each patient's needs, helping them find recovery and hope. 

Community members already feel like the facility is part of the neighborhood, with local business owners and citizens pitching in and offering understanding during construction. 

Salem Health's government relations director Michael Gay remarked “This is a shared gesture from a community extending hope to those who need it most. These efforts take longer than we expect. They’re harder than we imagine, but they are worth it if they advance hope in somebody’s life. So today, this is not the end of a construction project. It is the beginning of new stories, new stories of healing, of peace and of possibility,”

Read more about our latest facility here.