Shasta County Main Jail Reason for Inquiry:

The Grand Jury found the Shasta County Main Jail to be a clean, orderly and well run facility.

Section 4021 of the Penal Code requires a female custodial person to be available to supervise female inmates 24 hours a day. The Main Jail meets this requirement, although recruitment of female deputies has become increasingly difficult.

The Sheriff’s Office anticipates 35% of its staff will be retiring within the next three years while, at the same time, recruitment of deputy sheriffs has become increasingly difficult, particularly to work in the jail. To enhance recruitment and retention, in December 2001, the Board of Supervisors approved the Sheriff’s proposal to replace some 62 Shasta County deputy sheriffs employed at the Main Jail and Annex with correctional officers. Deputy sheriffs currently assigned to the detention facilities would be transitioned to field assignments over a three- year period as substitute correctional officers are recruited. The transition is currently underway and, when complete, will result in savings of over $800,000 annually due to reduced salary and training requirements for correctional officers.

There is a shortage of facilities available in Shasta County for medical de- toxification.

Because of California state licensing requirements, it would be difficult and impractical for Shasta County to expand its psychiatric hospital. The hospital is currently licensed for 15 beds as a freestanding psychiatric health facility by California mandates that limit them to 16 beds or less. Increasing the number of beds would lead to the county losing this license and the federal participation funding.

The Shasta County Mental Health Department is attempting to address a human resource shortage in the areas of mental health professionals, nurses and social workers. At the beginning of 2001 there were 35 vacancies in the department. The administration is working with educational institutions to develop training programs and internships and with their own staff to provide continuing education programs.

The administrators of the Shasta County Mental Health Department are instituting a re-organization of the department that includes better utilization of state and federal funding resources, better access by mental health patients to medical care, more emphasis on interagency services, and more private sector contracting for services.

California Government Code 5604 requires each community mental health service to have a Local Mental Health Board and specifies the makeup of the board. The Shasta County Mental Health Board is made up of 15 volunteer members appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Membership is made up of consumers of mental health services, family members of consumers, representatives of the community, and a member of the Board of Supervisors.

The Shasta County Mental Health Board has adopted bylaws that reflect the statutory requirements as outlined in California Government Code 5604. Government Code 5604.2(a)(5) specifically requires the Mental Health Board to submit an annual report to the Board of Supervisors on the needs and performance of the county’s mental health system. The Grand Jury was unable to find any evidence that this report had been submitted by the Shasta County Mental Health Board in at least the last five years.

The purpose of the Mental Health Board should be to insure that the community’s mental health needs are being adequately met. The Grand Jury found that the Board lacks focus in establishing priorities that would lead to accomplishing that purpose. The Board appears to be trying to facilitate a number of projects, but needs more direction from the leadership and participation from all members in order to meet its goals.

The Shasta County Mental Health-Medical Community Partnership Solutions Project Task Force was formed in 2001 to identify problems and recommend solutions regarding mental health care in the community. The Task Force is made up of members of the private medical community, members of the Shasta County Mental Health Board, staff members of the Shasta County Mental Health Department, a member of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, a staff member from the Shasta County Administrative Office, members of the private non-profit sector, members of law enforcement, members of other community groups, a member of the County Counsel’s office, members of the Public Guardian’s Office, staff from the Shasta Community Health Center, and other members of the community. Some of the recommendations that came out of this dialogue, such as facilitating the transfer of medical records, have been implemented and are beneficial to the department and the community. Continuing participation from the private medical community is essential to the further success of this Task Force.