Sonoma County Jail’s mental health wing on hold

In 2015, Sonoma County received a $40 million state grant to add a behavioral health wing to house and treat the growing number of people with mental health issues in the county jail.

Nearly a decade later, the project has yet to be implemented, and on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors was considering what next steps, if any, should be taken.

A series of disasters, including massive wildfires and a pandemic, combined with skyrocketing building costs and other spending priorities, have delayed action over the years.

What was originally expected to cost $49 million, be funded primarily by grants, and expected to be operational by 2020, is now estimated to cost $69.5 million, according to September estimates.

The rising price tag further complicates the calculations of supervisors who take into account what many see as a crisis in mental health treatment in and out of prison.

“We need a long conversation,” Supervisor Susan Gorin said Tuesday, “about how we can best prioritize our spending and meet needs specifically around mental health. “Our community is desperate and our inmates are certainly desperate.”

The Main Adult Correctional Facility became the de facto largest psychiatric facility in the county, especially after the closure of mental hospitals and the implementation of state laws that diverted more people from prisons to prisons. Approximately half of the prison population has been diagnosed with mental problems, and almost one third experiences serious mental illness that causes functional impairment that makes it difficult to perform major life activities.

A Sonoma County Grand Jury investigation in June found that the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office mismanaged the care of incarcerated people, in large part because of the high number of inmates with mental health problems.

Given the scale of the need, Supervisor Chris Coursey questioned the impact of the planned 72-bed facility, especially considering the prison population of about 800 means more than 250 people will have serious mental health issues.

“The outcome is an aspect of treatment,” said Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram. “You’re right. Seventy-two beds isn’t much at all… but it’s better than what we have now and we’re committed to providing treatment.”

The project was initially proposed as a 32,800-square-foot facility that would provide small-group counseling, increased time out of cells and more mental health programming. In addition to the estimated construction cost of $69.50 – $1,848 per square foot – the apartment would require $11 million in ongoing annual staffing costs.

Hoping to bring the issue back to the board, Sheriff Eddie Engram and Sonoma Public Facilities Director Johannes Hoevertsz presented several options Tuesday, including financing the project or returning state funds and redirecting nearly $9 million in discretionary funds earmarked for improving existing services.

Also discussed was using unallocated funds from the Opioid Settlement Fund or Measure O, the Sonoma County sales tax, for mental health, addiction and homelessness services. However, the latter was considered insufficient and the former was considered unlikely due to its limited applications in substance abuse.

Several supervisors also asked about the possibility of changing the terms of the project, such as moving the facility to a cheaper location or even building a facility that could serve both inmates and people with mental problems.

“Is it possible to go beyond our designated area,” asked Supervisor Lynda Hopkins.

County Administrator Christina Rivera said that while the grant does not expire, state officials have expressed little flexibility to change the scope of the project. She noted that at least two other counties that received grants returned them for one reason or another.

The potential impact of Proposition 36’s criminal measures and the additional burden it could place on prisons was a must-have in the conversation. Proposition 36, which voters will decide in the November election, would stiffen penalties for some theft and drug offenses, partially repealing a 2014 law that sought to curb mass incarceration. Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed a package of bills in August aimed at curbing retail theft and other property crimes, but Proposition 36 has broad support.

Engram noted that a ballot initiative could increase the prison population, which is already steadily rising and currently represents the highest daily population since the pandemic.

Ultimately, it was widely acknowledged that the state appropriation was “getting smaller by the day,” as Coursey put it, but supervisors instructed staff to contact the county’s legislative delegation in Sacramento to investigate any possible fluctuations on the boundary issue. project.

As for the timeline, Supervisor Rabbitt said, “I have a feeling we’re going to have to re-examine right before we pass the budget.”

In Your Corner columnist Marisa Endicott can be reached at 707-521-5470 or [email protected]. On X (formerly Twitter) @InYourCornerTPD and Facebook @InYourCornerTPD.