A county commissioner described a new jail reentry program at the Utah County Commission meeting and the commission approved the related agenda item by voice vote.

The program will let participants who earn the privilege complete a short food-handler course and leave custody with a food-handler permit, a credential required for many food-service jobs in Utah. A commissioner told the commission that the county jail kitchen produces Meals on Wheels and meals for the sheriff's office and that the program expands training already provided by kitchen staff.

The commissioner described the program logistics without naming individual participants: the course takes roughly an hour and a half and costs about $30 when purchased privately; the county will provide the curriculum loaded onto tablets so participants can complete the material in their cells. The commissioner said the county health department supplied curriculum materials and technical support for the tablets.

“We have 2 or 3 people who are on track to be done in the next 2 or 3 weeks,” the commissioner said, and added that the certificate can reduce barriers to employment after release. The commissioner noted the program’s potential to help with recidivism and said, “food handler's permit is required to work in Utah restaurants and fast food.”

The county specifically thanked health-department and sheriff's-office staff by name in the public remarks: Chris Nilsen and Jay Call at the sheriff’s office, Tyler Plue at the health department, and Carolina (first name only) for assistance in implementing the curriculum and tablet deployment.

A motion to approve the agenda item was made and seconded, and commissioners approved the item by voice vote. The motion language on the record was to “approve item number 4.” The meeting record does not include a roll-call vote breakdown on the transcript provided.

Commissioners who spoke praised the program as a “low barrier” workforce credential that supports local businesses and aids reentry. The county will continue to coordinate with the health department on curriculum and certification steps.