California is modernizing its behavioral health delivery system to improve accountability, increase transparency and expand the capacity of behavioral health care facilities for Californians. To this end, the Behavioral Health division of the Sonoma County Department of Health Services has been awarded $67.7 million through the California Department of Health Care Services' Proposition 1 "Bond BHCIP Round 1: Launch Ready" for projects that support behavioral health infrastructure. BHCIP supports the creation, renovation and expansion of facilities that serve individuals with mental health and behavioral health needs.
"This grant will go a long way towards providing the vital behavioral health support that our community needs," said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. "With this funding, we can create a first-rate rehabilitation facility and add desperately needed substance use disorder treatment beds."
The Behavioral Health division requested funding for its Orenda Campus Project, which entails constructing four 16-bed Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers and a 40-bed adult residential substance use disorder treatment facility with drug withdrawal management on County-owned property. This project is in the planning and pre-development stage, with an anticipated completion date of 2028.
"We are very excited to receive this award," said Department of Health Services Director Nolan Sullivan. "It is a great honor for Sonoma County."
The proposed campus of sub-acute mental health rehabilitation centers, alongside residential treatment services, will provide Sonoma County's conservatees with essential treatment and rehabilitation, effectively closing gaps in the continuum of care. Currently, Sonoma County has only one long-term care facility, resulting in 62 percent of conservatees being sent out of county for intensive long-term treatment.
"This project will make a significant and positive impact for the clients we serve in our system of care," said Behavioral Health division Director Jan Cobaleda-Kegler. "We are thrilled to receive this grant and begin building out the Orenda Campus."
Providing in-county treatment options by adding 64 beds will facilitate more effective care and planning, enhance connections to local resources and build pathways to community-based treatments for clients. By constructing the residential substance use disorder treatment facility, Sonoma County will broaden the continuum of care for SUD and recovery services.
Additionally, co-locating the mental health rehabilitation center facilities with the residential SUD treatment will create a network of care, support the coordination of vital services, and facilitate the provision of treatment services for conservatees and conserved clients who have been placed under Lanterman-Petris-Short conservatorships due to grave disability resulting from a severe substance use disorder. This will happen when Sonoma County implements SB 43, which will allow an individual to be placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold for grave disability due to severe substance use disorder, or a co-occurring mental health disorder and a severe substance use disorder.
The proposed project is also timely because the Behavioral Health division recently implemented its Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System and will be building out its continuum of services for SUD treatment. The division is also in the process of developing services that comply with the upcoming SB 43 mandate before January 2026 when it goes into effect.
The Bond BHCIP Round 1 awards will help create a comprehensive behavioral health system, ensuring that individuals can access the right care at the right time, whether it be for crisis stabilization, inpatient care, or long-term treatment. As part of the state's goal to reduce mental health crises, increase the availability of services, and support community-based solutions, these investments are vital in ensuring the long-term sustainability and accessibility of behavioral health services.