The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has announced its intent to award $20 million to Santa Barbara County’s Department of Behavioral Wellness through the State’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), funded by Proposition 1, approved by voters in 2024. The funding will support the development of two 16-bed Community Residential Treatment (CRT) facilities in Santa Maria, expanding treatment capacity for individuals living with serious mental illness in northern Santa Barbara County.
The facilities are planned for development near the North Branch Jail and will focus on supporting justice-involved individuals through diversion and recovery-oriented treatment, providing a structured residential environment where individuals can stabilize, build life skills, and transition toward independent living. The two 16-bed facilities would add 32 residential treatment beds in Northern Santa Barbara County and support the county’s broader efforts to expand treatment options that reduce reliance on hospitalization and incarceration. “Social Rehabilitation Facilities play a critical role in helping individuals transition from higher levels of care into stable community living, while reducing the need for hospitalization or incarceration,” said Toni Navarro, director of the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness.
Behavioral Wellness will collaborate with Santa Barbara County General Services throughout the project’s design, development, and construction phases. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, construction is anticipated to be completed by fall 2029. The county plans to utilize a progressive design-build process, described as a first for the county, which would enable a more accelerated timeline to complete the project. The award represents another major investment secured by Santa Barbara County through the state’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, which supports the development of behavioral health treatment infrastructure across California. Previous BHCIP awards have supported several projects locally, including the acquisition of the Haley Street Behavioral Wellness Center in Santa Barbara.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.noozhawk.com/state-plans-20-million-award-to-county-for-new-behavioral-health-residential-facilities-in-santa-maria/