The St. Charles County Department of Corrections will soon have safer operating conditions for correctional staff, the ability to deal with hundreds of people detained for felonies who also suffer from mental illness and substance abuse, and more room overall, boosting capacity from 528 beds to 573, as Phase 2 of a major renovation nears completion..” 

“I’m pleased to report that we were able to accomplish this without raising taxes,” says County Executive Steve Ehlmann. “This project was paid for with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, some bond funds supported by a sales tax, and with the help of the national opioid settlement money.”

Ehlmann and Interim Corrections Director Robin Edwards led local news media on a tour of the expanded facility on May 18. 

“The renovations will help staff, who are dealing with unprecedented numbers of felons awaiting trial,” Edwards says. “And it will allow the jail to offer treatment and counseling to help detainees resolve their charges and serve their time—or find community services for their addiction or mental illness when they are back on the street.”

Work began on Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the $50 million project in March 2024: 

• Phase 1 relocated and upgraded the kitchen to accommodate a larger population of 573, and renovated one housing unit on the fifth floor.
• Phase 2 converted the former kitchen space and storage into a substance abuse and mental health unit, providing counseling and treatment space for the 85% of detainees who are mentally ill or struggle with addiction. This phase brought the bed count to 573, and made the workspace more efficient for staff.

The improvements for Phases 1 and 2 are being paid for with just over $30 million in federal ARPA funds that were designated for renovation of correctional space specifically to address detainee and inmate mental illness. An additional $15 million in bond funds supported by the County’s 1/4-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax was used, and the remaining Phase 1 and 2 costs come from settlement payments from the County’s prior litigation against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies. 

Phase 3, starting in the late summer of 2026, will renovate two large housing units to provide areas where drug treatment can be administered and increase efficiency and safety for correctional officers. Phase 3 will largely be funded from the opioid settlement funds.