Santa Rita calls and communication accounts

The Sheriff identifies GettingOut/ViaPath for remote video and jail-lobby kiosks; start with the Alameda portal. Its current desktop notice requires GTL VisBridge: sign in at least 10 minutes before the visit, choose Internet Visit Tester and follow the installation prompts. The portal also advertises GTL VisMobile for Android. Follow the device requirements shown for your selected visit; a generic app listing does not establish compatibility for every device.

The portal recommends at least 1 Mbps upload and download, Edge/Firefox/Chrome/Safari, and headphones. Close Zoom, Teams and other programs using the camera, connect the camera/microphone and run Internet Visit Tester before the appointment. These are preparation requirements, not a guarantee of connection quality. Confirm the selected location is remote or jail lobby. If it fails, record date/time, appointment ID, charge, error and whether either party connected; contact 855-208-7349 or visitorsupport@gtl.net. Provider visitor support lists Monday–Friday 6 AM–4 PM MST and Saturday–Sunday 7 AM–4 PM MST. Preserve that published time-zone label when arranging contact. Ask for credit review and a case number; no universal deadline or automatic credit for a visitor’s technical failure was verified.

Public video is recorded/monitored. Keep faces visible; no screenshots, recording, three-way participation, sexual behavior, gang signs, disruptive conduct, intoxication or contraband display. The page also prohibits hats, bandanas and beanies; request any religious or disability accommodation before the session. Normal dress rules apply.

Video visitors previously in CDCR custody but no longer on parole/PRCS need the Jail Commander’s written permission. Current probation, parole or PRCS requires written approval from both the Commander and supervising officer. Confirm approval before paying. For attorney visits, the portal requires registration plus facility vetting; professional approval questions go to prolist@acgov.org. It explicitly warns that unvetted visits will be recorded. Family accounts must not be used as a substitute for confidential legal access.

Sources: Sheriff: current visiting page and April 10, 2026 schedule image · ViaPath: Alameda reservation portal and desktop/professional notices · ConnectNetwork: support, visitor hours and call-quality complaints · ViaPath Alameda: public Refund Policy popup · ViaPath Alameda: public Internet Visit Requirements popup

Begin with the provider’s Alameda facility page, verify 5325 Broder Blvd. and the correct person/PFN, then review amount, fee and account type before confirming. The local payment numbers above differ from generic provider numbers. Customer support is 877-650-4249. Keep receipts and disable unwanted automatic reloads.

The April 21, 2026 Board minutes approved telephone and video contract extensions through April 30, 2028. A contract described as no cost to the county does not make every family call/video free. No current public Alameda rate table or free-session allotment was verified. Read the price displayed for the selected transaction; old temporary COVID offers are not a current entitlement.

Sources: ConnectNetwork: Alameda services and local payment contacts · ConnectNetwork: Alameda Spanish facility listing, Site ID 167 · ConnectNetwork: AdvancePay, pricing and refunds · ConnectNetwork: PIN Debit and release balance · ConnectNetwork: Trust Fund deposits and finality · ViaPath: Alameda reservation portal and desktop/professional notices · ConnectNetwork: support, visitor hours and call-quality complaints · Board: April 21, 2026 approved phone/video extensions to April 30, 2028 · County: July 23, 2024 commissary contract and iCare proposal · iCare: live facility and recipient package selection

Residents make outgoing calls; there is no direct incoming family line. Policy 17.04 provides daily housing-phone access during pod time, not a published all-day clock schedule. Intake policy allows at least 3 completed calls within 3 hours of arrest unless physically impossible; its December 19, 2024 text specifies free local calls within Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin and San Ramon and outside calls at the caller’s expense. Ask staff about an unmet intake-call need.

Create AdvancePay for the exact number that will receive calls, or fund the resident’s separate PIN Debit account. When a call fails, check number, service selected, balance, blocked/unknown-call settings and any provider or facility restriction. Do not conference, transfer calls or use someone else’s PIN: the local policy provides a 90-day block for three-way/PIN misuse. Public calls are recorded; counsel should arrange approved confidential access.

For a death, serious illness or other urgent family message, call 925-551-6500 and ask for Reentry & Support Services; when that office is closed, ask for the Watch Commander. Give the person’s name/PFN, your callback and verifiable facts. This is a request for staff routing, not a guarantee the person can call immediately.

AdvancePay offers refunds when the account is no longer needed; use provider support at 877-650-4249 and keep the transaction history. PIN Debit unused funds are refunded to the resident upon release under provider terms; ask how that balance is delivered separately from jail trust money. Do not assume every account automatically transfers or disappears after a move. For a dropped/charged call, record the time, numbers, length and error and request review. The provider says mobile/cordless call drops are not routinely refunded; a complaint can trigger investigation at the jail equipment.

Sources: Sheriff policy 17.04, revised December 19, 2024 · ConnectNetwork: AdvancePay, pricing and refunds · ConnectNetwork: PIN Debit and release balance · ConnectNetwork: support, visitor hours and call-quality complaints · ConnectNetwork: Alameda services and local payment contacts