Napa County staff: replacement jail will have 332 beds, on-site clinic and video arraignment

A Napa County staff member said the county's replacement jail is nearly complete and will include 332 beds, 28 of which are dedicated for medical and mental-health needs, plus an on-site clinic with a dental suite and exam rooms and video arraignment capability.

The staff member said the design aims to improve access to medical and mental-health care for incarcerated people and to allow community and clinical providers to deliver services on site — features the current jail does not provide.

"It's been a major process and a lift for the county, but we are so close. It's just so majorly exciting to be this far into the project that is so very much needed for Napa County," the staff member said. "The replacement facility has 332 beds, 28 of which are specifically dedicated for mental and medical needs for our facility. It has a dedicated clinic on-site that has a dental suite as well as full on exam rooms to be able to bring medical and mental health providers on-site, to render services. We also brought in what we call video arraignment instead of going downtown to access the court building."

The staff member described housing units that include dedicated yard and recreational space adjacent to day rooms and said the layout gives "an opportunity to enhance the services that we provide, whether it's medical, mental health, even programs and services such as educational and outreach within the community." The staff member added that those programs can "come within the space, render their services, and really be able to engage with incarcerated persons here. Our current jail does not offer spaces like that."

Asked about progress, the staff member said, "This is very doable, and we completed that goal." The meeting transcript did not specify an opening date, total project cost, or funding sources.