Bids sought to open addiction treatment center, for all Kane residents, atop jail
Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain is seeking proposals to open an inpatient addiction treatment facility in an unused space at the Kane County jail.
The effort to open a 60- to 70-bed facility is something Hain has been working on since January 2019.
"In my time as a patrol deputy here, I saw the horrific effect that substance abuse and addiction had on people and its creation of all different types of crime," Hain said in a statement.
Once launched, services will be available to all adult Kane County residents, officials said.
Hain said 60% to 80% of those in custody at the Kane County jail struggle with addiction issues.
"Treating addiction cuts down on costs, cuts down on crime and makes Kane County safer from the start," Hain said.
To make the first-of-its-kind public/private partnership a reality, Kane County officials are seeking proposals from qualified addiction treatment firms through Oct. 13.
Bid documents are available on bidnetdirect.com.
Officials said a comprehensive feasibility study, with sample floor plans and financial projections, was commissioned by Kane County and is available to qualified partners.
A June 2019 study done by the real estate management firm Batavia Enterprises Inc. estimated it would cost about $7 million to convert the space. The intent is to open the 20,000-square-foot facility on the top floor of the jail, Hain said.
The project is part of the sheriff's "Safer Kane" initiative, which provides information about substance abuse services and gun safety information.
Kane County would lease the space to the addiction treatment firm.
"This is a groundbreaking opportunity for the right partner," Hain said. "Lots of the heavy lifting has been done."