Santa Maria Juvenile Hall contract staff member tests positive for COVID-19

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Chief Probation Officer Tanja Heitman reported on Friday that a contract staff member assigned to the Santa Barbara Probation Department’s Santa Maria Juvenile Hall (SMJH) recently tested positive for COVID-19.

The probation department said the staff member was tested as part of the contract employer's regularly scheduled and preemptive testing rounds.

Two additional staff were tested during this time, but their results were negative.

The department said, after contact tracing, it was determined no other probation staff or youth had been in contact with the individual prior to testing positive.

The probation department implements a COVID-19 Management Plan daily that requires employees and contractors to submit their temperature and fill out a health questionnaire prior to entering the facility.

For updates and a breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Santa Barbara County, click here.