Logo courtesy of Sutter County

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) – The Sutter County Board of Supervisors accepted the final $600,000 installment of state PATH funding last week to expand a nationally recognized reentry program that has significantly cut jail recidivism while helping former inmates successfully return to their communities.

Health and Human Services Director Sarah Eberhardt-Rios reminded the board the CalAIM Justice-Involved program is the first of its kind in the nation, allowing California to use Medi-Cal funding to provide reentry services for eligible inmates before they leave jail.

"We do not duplicate services," Eberhardt-Rios said. "We actually work together on behalf of that individual that's going back into the community to the benefit of that person's experience and public safety."

The Round 4 grant from California's Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) Justice-Involved Planning and Capacity Building Program will help fund treatment for opioid addiction as part of the county's reentry program. The multi-year grant is expected to support the program through at least fiscal year 2028-29.

Since the program began, about 1,879 people have participated, with just over half signing releases allowing eight partner agencies to coordinate services. The county currently has 195 active clients receiving intensive support both in custody and after release.

"The program has proven to be very successful," Eberhardt-Rios said. "The recidivism rate for the CalAIM Justice-Involved program is just around 25%." She said comparable recidivism rates typically range from 40% to 50% for similar populations and about 68% for people struggling with substance use disorders.

Sutter County launched its Justice-Involved program in April 2025 and has since presented its model at conferences across California while earning a national award from the Community Affiliated Health Plans Association for its implementation.

She said about 71% of participants spend 30 days or less in jail, 43% are homeless or experiencing housing insecurity, and 82% are released back into the community, making coordinated reentry services critical.

The program embeds reentry staff inside the Sutter County Jail, where they work alongside Sheriff's Office personnel and continue serving participants after release to provide continuity of care, treatment and support.

Before the board voted to accept the grant, Supervisor Jeff Stephens asked whether the program serves everyone housed in the jail. Eberhardt-Rios said participation is voluntary, with 1,879 people choosing to enroll out of more than 5,100 jail bookings during the same period.