The Lake County Minimum Security Facility that closed its doors back in 2009 will be back in business this summer. The county currently uses some of the office space but it remains mostly empty.
"This project not only re-purposes an existing facility and creates jobs, but also provides the opportunity for these at risk individuals to get the treatment programs they so desperately need," said Lake County Commissioner Judy Moran.
The Lake County Board of Commissioners recently approved a five-year lease agreement with Northeast Ohio Community Alternative Program (NEOCAP) to use the facility aimed at helping to address the heroin epidemic.
"NEOCAP provides a stepping stone from out of jail, into treatment and hopefully back into the community," said Lake County Sheriff Dan Dunlap.
The facility will house roughly 60 low level female offenders.
Offenders are sentenced by Common Pleas Courts in Lake, Ashtabula, Portage, Geauga and Trumbull counties and will spend the last few months of their sentences at the NEOCAP facility in Painesville Township.
