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Receive a presentation on the Sheriff Office’s Behavioral Health Unit at the Justice Center Detention Facility; and Consider adopting a resolution amending the List of Numbers and Classifications of Positions to add 2.0 FTE Custody Sergeants and delete 3.0 FTE Correctional Officers in the Custody Division of the Sheriff’s Office (4/5 vote required)
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Published Notice Required? Yes_______ No ___X____
Public Hearing Required? Yes _ No ___X____
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive a presentation on the Sheriff Office’s Behavioral Health Unit at the Justice Center Detention Facility; and
2. Consider adopting a resolution amending the List of Numbers and Classifications of Positions to add 2.0 FTE Custody Sergeants and delete 3.0 FTE Correctional Officers in the Custody Division of the Sheriff’s Office. (4/5 vote required)
SUMMARY:
The Sheriff’s Office plans on implementing a Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) at the Justice Center Detention Facility (JCDF). A BHU, which is becoming an industry best practice, will create a positive change for incarcerated persons and staff. It is anticipated to reduce incarcerated persons on staff assaults and incarcerated person on incarcerated persons assaults. The BHU will house and support both male and female incarcerated persons who have a mental health condition, psychiatric diagnosis, and/or those who exhibit behavioral patterns that hinder their ability to meet their basic needs independently and program within the general population. The BHU will also include a designated space for incarcerated persons committed to the Department of State Hospitals under 1370 PC in the Jail Based Competency Program (JBCT). The BHU will incorporate a Step Up/ Step Down (SU/SD) approach which will provide varying levels of support based on an individual’s needs. Programing and treatment in the BHU will occur seven days a week.
In order to implement the BHU, minor facility improvements to the second floor of JCDF were necessary to facilitate BHU programming. Improvements included furniture replacements, classroom and office space modifications, and other program related needs. All improvements are one-time expenses to implement the BHU and are funded by the Inmate Welfare Fund in FY2024/25.
It is anticipated that the BHU will be ready for occupancy in January of 2026, pending completion of other capital project improvements at JCDF. The Sheriff’s Office is requesting the addition of two new Custody Sergeant positions for the BHU. These positions are offset by the deletion of three Correctional Officers. While occupancy is not planned until January 2026, these Custody Sergeants need time to finalize BHU operations, update policies and procedures, recruit existing staff for the BHU, train and prepare the BHU for occupancy.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Sheriff is requesting 2.0 FTE new Custody Sergeant allocations to supervise the Behavioral Health Unit. The total annual salary and benefit cost for these positions is estimated at $418,919 or $209,459 each. The cost is fully offset by the deletion of 3.0 FTE vacant Correctional Officer positions. The Sheriff’s Office anticipates filling the new positions by October 26, 2025 and the total anticipated cost for FY2025/26 is $279,279 for these two positions. This cost is offset by the deletion of the 3.0 FTE Correctional Officers with estimated salaries and benefit costs of $520,016, resulting in a net savings projected in FY2025/26 of $240,737.
In September of 2024, the Sheriff’s Inmate Welfare Fund approved one-time expenses in the amount of $153,952 for facility improvements and new furniture for the BHU. These items included protective enclosures for televisions in the unit, acoustic wall panels, new tables and chairs for the dayrooms, programming chairs and replacement officer workstations. These purchases did not impact the County General Fund. Ongoing costs for incarcerated person incentives and clothing will be funded by the Inmate Welfare Fund in future years.
The cost associated with preparing the agenda item is nominal and absorbed by the Sheriff’s Office FY2024/25 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
A Jail Operations Workgroup (workgroup) was established in 2022 consisting of Custody line staff, supervisors, and managers, inmate medical, dental, mental health and JBCT contractor staff, Sheriff’s programming manager and medical manager. The workgroup was initially established to plan for changes in Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Title 15 Standards which increased out of cell time for incarcerated persons. In 2023 the Workgroup reinvigorated discussions regarding a BHU and refocused their discussions on planning for this new unit. As a part of the planning process, in late 2023 and early 2024, the workgroup visited four County jails to tour their behavioral health mods, including Sonoma County, Santa Clara County, Ventura County and Santa Barbara County. In May of 2025, the workgroup visited Napa State Hospital to gain insight into how state hospitals operate their mental health programs.
A BHU, which is becoming an industry best practice, will create a positive change for incarcerated persons and staff. The Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) is being implemented to provide a structured setting with individualized therapeutic interventions, enhanced monitoring, case management, and support aimed at promoting rehabilitation, stability, and healthy social functioning for incarcerated persons identified as mental health patients. It is anticipated that by implementation of the BHU it will reduce incarcerated persons on staff assaults and incarcerated person on incarcerated persons assaults. As of May of 2025, approximately 55% of the incarcerated persons housed in Solano County jails are identified as mental health patients. Mental health patients require more attention and supervision than those without mental health conditions due to conditions such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, bipolar mania, anxiety, panic attacks and depression. The BHU will serve incarcerated persons requiring an elevated level of psychiatric care due to complex mental health needs, often accompanied by behaviors such as aggression, unpredictability, poor hygiene, and other challenges. This population necessitates consistent oversight and therapeutic engagement to foster behavioral improvement. The BHU will house and support both male and female incarcerated persons who have a mental health condition, psychiatric diagnosis, and/or those who exhibit behavioral patterns that hinder their ability to meet their basic needs independently and program within the general population. The BHU will also include a designation for incarcerated persons committed to the Department of State Hospitals under 1370 PC in the Jail Based Competency Program (JBCT). The BHU will incorporate a Step Up/ Step Down (SU/SD) approach which will provide varying levels of support based on an individual’s needs. Programing and treatment in the BHU will occur seven days a week.
In November of 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved an agreement between the County of Solano and the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) to implement an up to 12 bed JBCT program within the JCDF. Prior to our agreement with DSH, when an incarcerated person was determined to be Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST), they were placed on a waiting list to be sent to and treated through the DSH. Wait times to secure bed space at a DSH facility could take up to 12 months. Once placed at a DSH facility, the goal was for the incarcerated person to be brought to competency and returned to the county jail so that they were able to proceed with their court trial. Restoring an incarcerated person to competency can take an average of 30-90 days to achieve. An in-house JBCT program has provided effective treatment to those felony incarcerated persons deemed IST with the goal of reducing the overall length of their stay. In early 2020 the JBCT program was moved to the Stanton Correctional Facility (SCF) to provide better patient care, more effective programming to the incarcerated persons and to create additional space in preparation for the closure of half of JCDF for capital project improvements which began in the Summer of 2020. The JBCT program will be relocated back to JCDF to be located inside the BHU as the capital project improvements reach completion and to collocate with other incarcerated persons needing mental health support.
Since implementation of the JBCT program in February of 2019, 158 incarcerated persons have been restored to competency in our jails and were able to continue with their court proceedings without being transferred to another location or face long wait times for services.
To support the implementation of the BHU at JCDF, the Sheriff’ Office requests the addition of 2.0 FTE Custody Sergeants to supervise BHU operations. These supervisors will serve as key liaisons between custody staff and treatment teams, ensuring effective communication and oversight. They will also supervise the JBCT Officers. Key responsibilities include supervising BHU custody staff, coordinating schedules, maintaining program structure, managing incentives, ensuring safety, monitoring staff performance, and enforcing program rules. Due to the specialized nature and demands of this role, it cannot be absorbed by existing floor or custody sergeants. Dedicated supervision is essential to maintain program quality, safety, and consistency. The addition of the two Custody Sergeants for the BHU will ensure full coverage seven days a week and support the program’s successful implementation and operation.
Regular multidisciplinary team meetings will coordinate individualized care. These meetings will include BHU Supervisors, correctional and classification staff, mental health and medical professionals, and program representatives. The team will collaboratively review treatment plans and make decisions related to the SU/SD program to ensure a comprehensive and integrated approach to care.
The Sheriff’s Office has made facility improvements to the second floor of JCDF to facilitate BHU programming. Improvements include repainting of housing units, replacement of additional officer workstations, installation of acoustic panels, conversion of classroom space into office space, new housing unit furniture, inmate incentives, new staff uniforms and incarcerated persons clothing. All one-time expenses to implement the BHU were funded by the Inmate Welfare Fund in FY2024/25.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to receive the presentation or add the additional positions requested to implement the BHU. This is not recommended as the presentation will give both the Board of Supervisors and the members of the public an opportunity to hear about the planned Behavioral Health Unit at the Justice Center Detention Facility. Further, the recommended positions are necessary for proper oversight and operations of the Behavioral Health Unit.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Sheriff’s Office worked with Human Resources and the County Administrator’s Office on this request and Human Resources has prepared and signed the resolution to amend the List of Number and Classes of Positions.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION