LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Gov. Joe Lombardo joined the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health and Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager on Wednesday to announce the start of construction on the Southern Nevada Forensic Facility, a secure forensic psychiatric hospital.
Located on the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services campus in Las Vegas, the facility will provide court-mandated competency restoration services, ensuring individuals receive the treatment necessary to participate in legal proceedings as required under state law.
MORE ON FOX5: Federal grant brings mobile dementia screening to rural Nevada
“For years, Nevada has faced a growing demand for forensic mental health services,” Lombardo said. “The Southern Nevada Forensic Facility represents a major investment in both public safety and behavioral health infrastructure. Once completed, this facility will reduce delays in treatment, expand capacity in Southern Nevada, and better serve courts, communities, and patients across our state.”
Project details
The $399 million project includes a four-story, 327,000-square-foot hospital with 298 beds. The facility has been designed to accommodate future expansion through the addition of a fourth tower, which could provide an additional 90 to 120 beds.
The new hospital will replace several aging facilities constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, modernizing Nevada’s forensic mental health infrastructure.
“The Southern Nevada Forensic Facility is now one step closer to reality,” said Drew Cross, statewide forensic director with the Division of Public and Behavioral Health. “This building is a game-changer for mental health and we are excited for the impact it will make for years to come.”
Construction is expected to be completed in 2029.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
