County nurses tell supervisors chronic jail understaffing risks detainee health

Good morning. Dozens of registered nurses who work in Santa Clara County custody health told the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9 that chronic understaffing in county jails is creating dangerous delays in medical and behavioral‑health care.

At public comment, Alan Kumar, a registered nurse at Valley Medical Center and vice president of the Registered Nurses Professional Association, said nurses have escalated concerns through channels including County Executive James Williams and that recent staff turnover and “retaliation” against nurses who speak up have left the system short‑staffed after an Elmwood death last week. “Our nurses are exhausted,” Kumar said, and he urged the board to intervene and “change the county custody health leadership.”

Several other nurses described similar problems at multiple county detention facilities. Christina Del Fuente, a custody‑health nurse, said federal case law establishes that dangerous medical understaffing in detention can amount to cruel and unusual punishment, and she told supervisors the county is at risk of that standard if staffing is not restored. Nurse speakers described gaps in specialized coverage (including units caring for people on suicide watch or in withdrawal), high overtime levels, and cuts to front‑line nursing positions while supervisory roles increased.

The board and staff did not take formal action from the dais on the staffing complaints during the meeting. County staff and the clerk responded to concerned callers after public comment by noting legal limits on discussing active investigations and assuring the public that child‑welfare and custodial matters that raise safety concerns are cross‑reported to relevant agencies. The county did not release immediate personnel actions at the meeting.

Why it matters: County custody health provides the only organized in‑custody medical and behavioral‑health care for people detained in Santa Clara County. Nurses testified that reduced frontline staffing and the loss of specialized positions have left staff unable to meet demands for acute psychiatric care, withdrawal management, and other time‑sensitive needs. The speakers urged the board to act before federal intervention or further harm occurs.

What’s next: Nurses said they will continue pressing county leadership for corrective steps. The board heard the testimony during its general public‑comment period; supervisors did not announce immediate personnel changes at the meeting. Staff and board members said they will continue to monitor the issue and asked agencies to report back as appropriate.