Volusia County Jail — formally the Volusia County Correctional Facility at 1354 North Indian Lake Road, Daytona Beach, Florida — sits at the intersection of two overlapping crises that have defined criminal justice and public health in Florida's Atlantic coast counties for more than a decade: a mental health emergency inside its walls, and an opioid crisis in the community it draws from.
A Pattern of In-Custody Suicides
Volusia County's response to a pattern of suicides at the jail offers a revealing look at the scale of the mental health problem in county detention. Since at least 2013, the county has experienced a documented pattern of in-custody deaths by suicide. In response, the Volusia County Council made the unusual step of directing nearly $1 million in payments to healthcare providers at the jail specifically to address the rising mental health and opioid crisis among the jail population.
This level of spending — directed specifically at psychiatric and addiction care — reflects recognition at the county government level that the standard approach to jail healthcare was insufficient for the population Volusia County was detaining. Jails, unlike prisons, house people who have not been convicted — many are awaiting trial. They arrive often in crisis, sometimes days or hours removed from an overdose or a psychiatric episode, without the stabilization time that state prison reception centers provide.
The Opioid Crisis and the Jail Population
Volusia County's broader opioid crisis gives context to the jail's challenge. In 2021, Volusia County recorded:
- 383 drug overdose deaths
- 315 opioid overdose deaths specifically
This was a slight increase over 2020's 334 drug overdose deaths and 304 opioid overdose deaths. These figures — from a county with a population of roughly 560,000 — reflect one of the highest per-capita opioid death rates in Florida, a state that has itself been among the hardest hit by the opioid epidemic nationally.
The jail population mirrors the community: a significant proportion of people booked into Volusia County Jail are there on drug-related charges or have active substance use disorders. Many arrive in acute withdrawal — opioid withdrawal, which can be physically dangerous, or benzodiazepine withdrawal, which can be fatal. Managing withdrawal safely in a detention environment requires medical staffing and protocols that are costly and complex.
Medical and Mental Health Services at the Facility
Volusia County Correctional Facility maintains a medical unit staffed by licensed nurses and physicians who provide medical surveillance, routine care, emergency care, and mental health services. Case management counselors are on staff to coordinate programs for people with disabilities, mental health conditions, drug addiction, and social service needs.
The investment made in response to the suicide pattern suggests that the county increased capacity and coverage in its mental health staffing — though the specific providers and the scope of the contract are managed through the county's procurement process rather than publicly disclosed in detail.
What Families Should Watch For
If your loved one is detained at Volusia County Jail and has a mental health condition or substance use disorder, there are specific things to watch for and actions you can take:
- Medication continuity: If your loved one is on prescribed psychiatric medication, alert the facility's medical unit as soon as possible after booking. Interruption of antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers can destabilize a mental health condition within days. Bring documentation of the prescription if possible.
- Withdrawal monitoring: If your loved one uses opioids regularly, alert medical staff immediately. Opioid withdrawal is physically dangerous in a detention setting without proper monitoring. Many jails now provide medication-assisted treatment (buprenorphine or methadone) for withdrawal — ask if Volusia County Jail offers this.
- Mental health holds: If your loved one is in acute psychiatric crisis, Florida's Baker Act process can intersect with the criminal justice system. Ask a defense attorney about options for diversion to mental health treatment.
- Communication: Maintaining regular phone contact is one of the most protective factors for mental health during detention. Set up a ConnectNetwork account (Volusia County Jail uses GTL/ConnectNetwork for phone calls) to ensure your loved one can reach you.
Resources for Families Outside the Jail
Volusia County has a network of public behavioral health services through SMA Healthcare, which provides mental health and substance use services in Volusia and several surrounding counties. If your loved one is released from the jail and needs mental health or addiction treatment, SMA Healthcare (smahealthcare.org) is the primary public provider for people without private insurance.
The Volusia County Council maintains an Opioid Abatement Resources page (volusia.org) tracking the distribution of opioid settlement funds — money Florida received from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies — which are being directed toward treatment and prevention in the county.
Facility address: 1354 North Indian Lake Road, Daytona Beach, FL 32120. Phone: (386) 254-1565.