Government Services

As a government entity, the county has a dual role in providing services to residents. Counties act as both a local government entity and as an agent of the state. As a local government entity, the county is responsible for providing municipal services, including law enforcement, to the unincorporated areas within the county boundaries. As agents of the state, counties are responsible for administering many of the State’s health, welfare and criminal justice programs.

Health and Human Services

Health Services
(707) 565-4700

The Department of Health Services provides treatment for individuals with alcohol, drug and tobacco addiction; mental health programs (which include 24-hour out-patient care and crisis services); information and education as a strategy to reduce illness and disease; public health nursing; AIDS clinics; reproductive health clinics; services for the investigation, treatment and control of highly communicable diseases; oversight of emergency medical services and payments to the County Medical Services Program for indigent health care; public health nuisance abatement services; and hazardous materials and consumer protection programs.

Human Services
(707) 565-5855

The Human Services Department provides eligibility determination for various federal state and local aid programs, including: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), MediCal, General Assistance and Food Stamps; employment services; case management to abused, abandoned, or neglected children; foster care and emergency placement services; coordination of services for adults and senior citizens including Adult Protective Services, In-Home Supportive Services, and hot meals programs; and services for veterans.

Department of Child Support Services
(866) 901-3212

The Department of Child Support Services coordinates the county’s Child Support Enforcement Program, which is part of a nationwide, Federal and State program, collecting child support from parents to reduce public assistance costs. The Department of Child Support Services seeks and enforces court orders for both welfare and non-welfare cases.

Public Protection

The primary purpose of the public protection function of county government is to provide a secure environment for persons and property.  Funding of Sonoma County public protection programs continues to be one of the highest priorities for the Board of Supervisors.

District Attorney
(707) 565-2311

The District Attorney is an elected official who is responsible for conducting all prosecutions for public offenses in Sonoma County; initiating proceedings for the arrest of persons charged with public offenses and attending and advising the county Grand Jury.  In addition, the District Attorney has an Environmental Law and Consumer Fraud section to handle civil enforcement as well as criminal enforcement in those matters.

Probation
(707) 565-2149

The Probation Department, an arm of the Superior Court of California, is charged with the responsibility of community protection through the provision of mandated services to Superior Court, including the investigation, supervision, control, and reform of adult and juvenile offenders granted supervised probation.  In addition to probation services, the department is responsible for operations at the three county juvenile detention facilities, which include Juvenile Hall, Probation Camp and the Sierra Youth Center, as well as the Supervised Adult Crew Program, which operates out of the Camp Facility.

Public Defender
(707) 565-2791

The Public Defender has the responsibility of defending any person who is not financially able to employ counsel and is charged with a criminal or juvenile offense..

Sheriff-Coroner
(707) 565-2511

The Sheriff-Coroner is an elected official who is responsible for the delivery of law enforcement crime prevention and related emergency services to the unincorporated areas along with providing police services to Windsor and Sonoma.  The Sheriff-Coroner is also responsible for the operation of the County’s two adult detention facilities and the provision of security to the courts.