Celebrating our Progress in Detention-Based Care

The new West County Reentry, Treatment and Housing Facility (WRTH), an addition to the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, will open in late summer or fall to help us better serve community members who are incarcerated.

This project represents a major effort by the county to improve conditions for incarcerated individuals who require medical and behavioral healthcare, and to provide a more responsive and appropriate care environment within our detention system.

WRTH does not expand capacity but allows the Sheriff’s Office to decompress Martinez Detention Facility and re-allocate within the system 272 beds, including 96 designated for persons behavioral health treatment and support.

I’m glad to report that the WRTH will include a new health clinic that will offer care, such as optometry, dental care, x-ray and dialysis, as well as designated space for reentry, family reunification and workforce readiness programs.

Recruitment is now underway for more than 70 medical and behavioral health staff members who will provide care inside WRTH and play a critical role in preparing patients for reentry.

As part of this work, CCH has implemented processes through Cal-AIM’s Justice Involved Initiative to screen and enroll every eligible, incarcerated individual into Medi-Cal prior to their release, to ensure a smooth transition to community-based care.

We recognize that not all community members will view improvements made to a detention facility the same way. But our role as a health department is to ensure that patients who are incarcerated receive care that is appropriate and excellent, regardless of the setting. WRTH offers a space where that care can be provided safely, humanely and effectively.

I am grateful to all who have worked to bring us so far, including Deputy Director Lavonna Martin, Detention Health Medical Director Dr. Sonia Sutherland, Nurse Program Manager Sujeeta Sukhu, Mental Health Program Chief Manju Mathews-Campbell, and project manager Jena Williams, among many others.

Thank you all,

Ori Tzvieli, MD MS

Chief Executive Officer and Health Director (Interim)

Health Officer, Contra Costa County