Custody and Corrections, and Other Humboldt County Facilities Released June 9, 2023

R1

By March 31, 2024, the Humboldt County Sheriff create and implement an incentive

R2

(F2) • R2: By March 31, 2024, the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services create and implement an incentive plan to retain dedicated current Behavioral Health Clinicians within the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, and recruit and hire new Clinicians to staff the unfilled allocated positions. For funding recommendations see the wording below recommendation #2. (F2) o Funding Recommendation: The Grand Jury recommends the Humboldt County Sheriff provide funding for R1, and the Department of Health and Human Services provide funding for R2, with appropriations in the current fiscal year. If current appropriations are not sufficient, the Grand Jury recommends the Department of Health and Human Services, at its next earliest opportunity, pursue additional funding from an appropriate agency, including state or federal agencies, or submit to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, a request for additional funding, sufficient to fund the above recommendations. SHERIFF’S WORK ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program (SWAP) provides an alternative to incarceration for eligible inmates who are 18-80 years of age and have a sentence of 180 days or less. At the time of the 2022-23 Humboldt County Civil Grand jury visit there were 125 inmates in the program. The program is supervised and monitored to provide safety to the participants and the community. Qualified inmates may choose to participate in the wood yard, farm operations, or other SWAP assignments one day a week instead of serving their sentence in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. This allows individuals to keep their jobs, homes, and families together while remaining productive and serving time as sentenced. Each day at SWAP takes one day off an individual’s sentence. The various operations provide community service and job skills that can be valuable upon completion of their sentence. Inmates must qualify for the program. Individuals with sex-related and felony charges are not eligible for SWAP. SHERIFF’S FARM The 2022-23 Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury visited the Sheriff’s Farm located in Fortuna, adjacent to Rohnerville Airport. The Sheriff’s Office refers to the SWAP Farm as the “Crown Jewel of the Sheriff's Department”. The Farm raises livestock and grows a variety of vegetables and fruit that are used in the preparation of meals at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. When there is a surplus of produce, vegetables, or fruits, the farm donates to other county programs and community food organizations. The Farm is essential and invaluable for what it offers to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility and the community. The Farm has several Correctional Deputies assigned whose duties include supervising the inmates and overseeing food production and the care and feeding of the animals. Correctional Deputies are assigned to work at the farm for defined periods of time. When a new Correctional Deputy is assigned to the farm there is no time overlap between the incoming and outgoing staff. This results in the new Correctional Deputy needing to learn the job “from scratch” rather than benefiting from the knowledge already gained by the outgoing person. The fresh food from the Farm for the Humboldt County Correctional Facility reduces food costs and the SWAP program reduces the cost of housing inmates, both of which decrease the financial burden to the County. The Civil Grand Jury compliments the Correctional Deputies and the Sheriff’s Farm inmates for making this Farm work.

R3

By March 31, 2024, the Humboldt County Sheriff schedule no less than one month

R6

The Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Branch

R5

The Humboldt County Sheriff schedule maintenance to replace or repair exterior

R4

The Humboldt County Sheriff review and schedule the repair of deferred

R7

No later than March 31, 2024, the Humboldt County Probation Department creates

R8

No later than March 31, 2024, the Humboldt County Coroner’s autopsy and cadaver

R9

The Humboldt County Coroner evidence room be re-organized no later than March

R11

No later than March 31, 2024, the California Department of Corrections and

R12

The Humboldt County Sheriff request and secure directional signs on Redwood

R13

The Humboldt County Sheriff request and secure directional signs on US-101 from

R14

The Humboldt County Sheriff direct the staff at Sheriff’s Garberville Station to