PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
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HOLT CORRECTIONAL FACILITY MENTAL HEALTH HOUSING PODS DESIGN UPDATE
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
This item provides the Board with an update on the design of the Holt Correctional Facility Mental Health Housing Pods at the Martin County Jail. The State approved funding for the design in 2024. The conceptual design phase is complete and includes two pods that expand classification capacity, improve inmate and staff safety, and provide specialized housing for the growing mental health population.
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DEPARTMENT: General Services
PREPARED BY: Name: Sean C. Donahue, P.E., B.C.A.
Title: General Services Director
REQUESTED BY:
PRESET: 2:00 PM
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
Martin County received State appropriation funding in July of 2024 in the amount of $500,000 to complete the schematic design of the Holt Correctional Facility Mental Health Housing Pods. In January of 2025, Securitecture, LLC was selected as the design architect for the project.
The conceptual design includes two housing pods with specialized spaces for mental health treatment, suicide watch cells, classroom training, ADA-compliant units, shelter care, and administrative or disciplinary segregation. The new pods were designed to address a lack of treatment beds, insufficient cell blocks for special populations, and limitations in safely classifying and separating inmates by mental health needs, security level, or gender.
In 2025 the Martin County Sheriff’s Office created the PRISM (Public Safety, Rehabilitation, Intervention, Stabilization, Mental Health) model to provide a framework that balances public safety with rehabilitation and stabilization, creating safer conditions for staff and inmates while reducing risk to the general inmate population and the Sheriff’s staff.
ISSUES:
• Current facility lacks adequate beds and treatment space for a growing mental health population.
• Inability to safely separate inmates by mental health needs, security level, or gender.
• Limited housing for shelter care, special observation, administrative, or disciplinary segregation.
• Lack of classification options has negatively impacted inmate and staff safety.
The PRISM model directly addresses these gaps through modernized housing, treatment space, and security enhancements.
The presentation will be submitted via Supplemental Memorandum.
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
This item has been reviewed for legal sufficiency to determine whether it is consistent with applicable law, has identified and addressed legal risks, and has developed strategies for legal defensibility.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
No action required. This item is provided for informational purposes only.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
The schematic design phase of the PRISM Jail Pods is fully funded through a State appropriation awarded in 2024. Future design and construction phases will require additional funding consideration through additional State appropriations.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☐Resolution
☐Other:
This document may be reproduced upon request in an alternative format by contacting the County ADA Coordinator (772) 320-3131, the County Administration Office (772) 288-5400, Florida Relay 711, or by completing our accessibility feedback form at www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback <http://www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback>.