The Northern Branch Jail has earned accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has announced.

The accreditation recognizes the facility’s commitment to providing high-quality health services that meet nationally accepted standards for correctional health care, the Sheriff’s Office said.

NCCHC accreditation is awarded to correctional facilities that demonstrate compliance with rigorous standards designed to improve the quality of health care in jails, prisons, and juvenile confinement facilities nationwide.

The Northern Branch Jail received the accreditation on June 26, following a comprehensive review of the facility’s health care policies, practices and procedures.

“This accreditation reflects the professionalism, dedication, and teamwork of our Custody Operations and Wellpath healthcare staff who work every day to ensure we are meeting the needs of those in our care,” said Sheriff Bill Brown.

“Earning this national recognition demonstrates our ongoing commitment to safety, accountability, and providing constitutionally sound health services within our facilities,” he said.

The accreditation process includes a detailed evaluation of areas such as patient care and treatment, health records, medication services, emergency response, chronic disease management, mental health services, and overall health care administration.

The Northern Branch Jail, which opened in 2022, was designed to provide a modern correctional environment with expanded programming opportunities, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced access to services for incarcerated individuals, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Main Jail facility initially received NCCHC accreditation in 2020 and was reaccredited in 2024.