SUBJECT
Title
ADVOCATING FOR DETENTION FACILITY NEEDS IN COUNTY LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On November 7, 2023 (26), the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (Sheriff's Department) presented to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) on the state of County detention facilities which included the Detention Facility Strategic Framework Plan (Detention Facility SFP). Upholding and modernizing San Diego County detention facilities infrastructure is paramount for those in its custodial care, as well as staff who are committed to deploying the best medical and mental health care in addition to modern programming for effective return into the community.
Today's action is a request to include in the County of San Diego's Legislative Program Priority Issues the ability for the County of San Diego, through its Sacramento and Washington, D.C. advocates, to pursue state and federal resources to support the infrastructure needs of County detention facilities to ensure proper medical and mental health care can be advanced and rehabilitative programming can be further administered in accordance with the Sheriff's Department holistic service delivery model.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
SUPERVISOR JIM DESMOND AND SHERIFF
Amend the County of San Diego's 2024 Legislative Program, Priority Issues section, to include the following statement:
Pursue state and federal resources to support the infrastructure needs of County detention facilities to ensure proper medical and mental health care can be advanced and rehabilitative programming can be further administered in accordance with the Sheriff's Department comprehensive service delivery model.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The Sheriff's Department prioritizes providing quality medical and mental health care to everyone in custody beginning at intake. Infrastructure improvements are necessary to enhance delivery of services which will improve outcomes and reduce health disparities. Above and beyond the Constitutional minimum requirements, jail facilities should reflect the community standard of integrated healthcare and support incarcerated persons with a holistic approach. The Sheriff’s Department is continually enhancing technology and programs in County detention facilities to enhance the level of care and increase access, thus creating a physical environment conducive to the health and well-being of all incarcerated persons. This approach maximizes the overall health and life trajectory of incarcerated persons, and better supports reentry to the community upon release.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s proposed amendment to the County of San Diego's 2024 Legislative Program supports the ability to advocate for additional resources at the State and Federal level for the necessary facility replacements and facility improvements systemwide. This contributes to the County of San Diego's sustainability goal to provide just and equitable access to County services. The Sheriff's Department has been committed to improving its service delivery to those in its custodial care. This effort will provide more coordinated medical and mental health care service delivery, with a person-centered approach to rehabilitate individuals, as well as provide equitable access for family members and collaborative spaces for criminal justice and community-based partners. By investing in modern infrastructure, the Sheriff's Department will be able to provide enhanced care and resources to individuals in custody.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with today's recommendation. There will be no change in net
General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
On November 7, 2023 (26), the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (Sheriff's Department) presented to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) on the state of County detention facilities which included the Detention Facility Strategic Framework Plan (Detention Facility SFP). Infrastructure needs and priorities were presented in the Detention Facility SFP which account for nearly $500 million for the modernization of its seven detention facilities over the course of 10-years to address critical infrastructure needs and improving health care.
It is important that we have jails that not only provide the highest quality healthcare and safety for the individuals in our custody, but that we also provide a work environment for our staff that ensures their safety and value in the services we provide.
The County of San Diego received state funding in 2007 through Assembly Bill 900, Local Jail Construction Financing Program which helped fund the construction of Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. This facility has been the only detention facility to be constructed and fully operational post Assembly Bill 109 Public Safety Realignment, passed in 2011, which transferred responsibility of felony lower-level offenders from the state prison system to county jails. Realignment's intent was to reduce the prospective prison population as well as encourage counties to invest in rehabilitative programming for its offenders to reduce recidivism. However, the County’s detention facility infrastructure was not designed to accommodate such programming especially based on today's modern needs.
While consulting services are being sought to identify available funding measures in support of the Vista Detention Facility, today's action is a request to continue our commitment of improving the level of care across all County detention settings by ensuring we are advocating for more resources that support the infrastructure needs to provide quality medical and mental health care and programming to individuals in the Sheriff's custodial care.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Policy, each year the Board adopts a Legislative Program containing statements and guidance that allows the County, through the Office of Economic Development and Government Affairs (EDGA), to take positions and advocate quickly in response to state and federal legislation that impacts the County and/or is of interest to the Board. The Legislative Program contains a legislative sponsorship platform, state and federal legislative priorities, and policy guidelines for the upcoming calendar year.
Therefore, today's action is a request to include in the County of San Diego's Legislative Program Priority Issues the ability for the County of San Diego, through its Sacramento and Washington, D.C. advocates, to pursue state and federal resources to support the infrastructure needs of County Detention Facilities to ensure proper medical and mental health care can be advanced and rehabilitative programming can be further administered in accordance with the Sheriff's Department holistic service delivery model.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today's board action advances the Equity and Justice Strategic Initiatives in the County of San Diego's 2024-2029 Strategic Plan by taking steps to increase the overall well-being of individuals who are currently in custody in San Diego County detention facilities and ensuring we have modern facilities to deliver quality care, reduce recidivism, and improve public safety.
Respectfully submitted,
JIM DESMOND KELLY A. MARTINEZ
Supervisor, Fifth District Sheriff
ATTACHMENT(S)
N/A