The County’s Behavioral Health Services (BHS) has been awarded $29.1 million in state funding that will be used to create new mental health and substance use treatment services in the region. The California Department of Health Care Services announced the local awards last week. The funds come from a bond voters approved in March 2024 to expand behavioral health treatment, residential care settings and housing to support people with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Before submitting two funding applications last year, County BHS gathered community input to identify critical needs, looked at local data and conducted stakeholder outreach. The Board of Supervisors approved the request to submit two funding applications in July 2024. Both applications have been approved for funding. The larger award, $21.1 million, will be used to create the new Substance Use Residential & Treatment Services (SURTS) facility. It will include up to 73 new substance use residential treatment beds and 16 recuperative care beds for people who are eligible for Medi-Cal. The facility is located on County-owned property in National City and renovations are expected to be completed by late 2026. The second award, which totals $7.9 million, will help fund a new Children’s Crisis Residential Care facility within the County’s Polinsky Children’s Center in Kearny Mesa. The project will create 16 new children’s crisis residential beds, which will be the first of their kind locally. Crisis residential care can be an alternative to hospitalization for children and youth with serious emotional health needs. Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2027. Five other behavioral health providers within San Diego County were also awarded Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) grant funds, which will be bring more needed services to the area. The other awardees include: • Palomar Health Foundation, $49.9 million for an acute psychiatric hospital in Escondido. • InnerTribal Treatment, $19.9 million for an adult residential SUD treatment facility in Pauma Valley. • McAlister Institute for Treatment & Education, $34.5 million for an adult residential SUD treatment facility in San Diego. • Casa de Amparo, $19.9 million for a psychiatric residential treatment facility in San Marcos. • Epidaurus (Amity Vista Ranch), $31.5 million, for an adult residential SUD treatment facility in Vista. • Thanks to the BHCIP funding, these seven grants are anticipated to add approximately 375 treatment beds and 1,538 treatment slots in the region. • If you or a loved one is in need of mental or behavioral health support, learn how you can get help. Call 9-8-8 or 1-888- 724-7240 to speak to a trained specialist. Reprinted courtesy San Diego County Office of Communications.
