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Grant County detention center reports full accreditation process, staffing gaps and treatment programs
Summary
Warden Joseph Ontazzolo briefed commissioners on facility capacity, a 211-point accreditation process, staffing vacancies and programs including RISE and MAT; commissioners raised retention and pay issues.
Joseph Ontazzolo, warden of the Grant County Detention Center, told the Board on Jan. 7 that the facility can hold up to 95 detainees but has recorded periods above that number; the population was 88 at the time of the work session. Ontazzolo said the center employed 35 county staff including detention officers and supervisors and also uses contracted medical and food service personnel.
Nut graf: Ontazzolo described an ongoing accreditation effort that uses 211 standards covering operations from intake to medical and meal standards. He said the center is in the accreditation process, with a mock audit planned in spring and a final audit in late summer or fall. The center also runs state-funded programs including the RISE grant (Reach, Intervene, Support, Engage) and a CASA program, and has one of the first MAT (medication-assisted treatment) programs in the county’s detention facilities.
Body: Ontazzolo described staffing pressures: four officer vacancies and five officers currently in training, with interviews scheduled Jan. 14. He identified retention and pay as a factor in turnover and said county HR and the county manager are looking at compensation changes; commissioners pressed that pay and retirement terms affect recruitment and retention. The warden outlined facility upkeep and capital improvements including HVAC, water heaters, door sliders, a five-year facilities plan and a portable building placement.
Program details included a December RISE caseload of 22 participants (8 in the facility, 14 in the community) and ongoing coordination with law enforcement, courts and community agencies for post-release handoffs. Ontazzolo said the facility had zero COVID positives as of Jan. 2 and described a special response team and training plans for staff.
Ending: Commissioners asked about accreditation frequency and detention staffing; Ontazzolo explained initial accreditation requires one year of documented practice, thereafter audits occur every three years. The commissioners discussed retention and pay and encouraged coordination with county finance and HR to address turnover.
