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Department of Environmental Health
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Health and safety in jails and detention centers

​The Consumer Protection Division conducts annual routine inspections of all Santa Clara County adult and juvenile detention facilities.  Environmental Health leads the inspection team along with a Public Health Nurse and a Public Health Nutritionist.

Outside view of a jail facility

The annual inspections are performed under the authority of Health & Safety Code § 101045 using checklists provided under Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR):

  • “Minimum Standards for Juvenile Facilities”
  • “Minimum Standards for Local Detention Facilities” (adult facilities)

California Food Code requirements are incorporated in Title 15 regulations by the rulemaking process of the Administrative Procedures Act.

In addition to food service, CPD also conducts the environmental portion of the inspection.  This includes, but is not limited to, inmate clothing & personal hygiene; issue of personal care items; bedding & linens; and facility sanitation, safety & maintenance.

The Public Health Nurse conducts the medical/mental health portion of the inspection and the Public Health Nutritionist performs the nutritional health evaluation.​​