Supervisors Approve 16-Bed Sonoma County Mental Health Facility

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved the establishment of a psychiatric health facility — or PHF — Tuesday for the county. The Sonoma County Healing Center could be up and running as soon as 2020 or early 2021.

The PHF is to be located at the former Valley of the Moon Children's Home at 7440 Los Guilicos Road in Santa Rosa. The county's Department of Health Services has contracted with Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc., to operate the facility that will provide much-needed acute care psychiatric beds for the department.

The addition of the locked, 16-bed facility with 24/7 care for the short-term treatment of residents experiencing mental illness is touted as a significant advancement for Sonoma County's mental health services system.

Currently, residents must endure lengthy wait times to receive these services in other counties, often, which are far from home.

"The County, including DHS, and our community hospital partners Kaiser, Providence St. Joseph, and Sutter have been working for some time to establish a psychiatric health facility of our own in the community," said Board Chair Susan Gorin, whose district also includes the facility. "For far too long people in need of acute mental health services would have to leave the County to obtain them. This facility will allow people to continue to live in the community, while receiving the appropriate level of care."

"I would also like to recognize our hospital partners for providing the resources to support the County to establish this facility," Gorin said.

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The facility that is expected to improve mental health care in the county is also expected to save money for the county.

Patients at the PHF will receive intensive psychiatric treatment for an average of eight days.

All patients will be enrolled in County mental health services, which will authorize services, transport patients to the facility and transport discharged residents from the facility to their home or to longer term treatment settings.

"Without a PHF, the County currently cannot meet demand for psychiatric inpatient hospitalization," said DHS Director Barbie Robinson. "There simply are not enough beds in the area for the amount of persons needing acute care. The Department estimates the shortage of acute inpatient beds impacts dozens of County residents every month. In addition, there are significant impacts on our law enforcement system and hospital emergency rooms where many individuals could be better served in a PHF."

Crestwood and the county have held presentations for residents living near the PHF regarding the site, operation and clientele to receive services there. The program is expected to provide important support as patients continue their recovery from mental illness.

The focus is to help clients stabilize, gain self- reliance, build strengths and independence with structure and support, according to the county. The program utilizes psychosocial rehabilitation, healing arts, life skills, and peer providers to support stabilization and recovery, county officials said.

"Establishing this program lets us take a very important step toward improving psychiatric care in Sonoma County, and hopefully better outcomes for individuals," said Bill Carter, Behavioral Health Services Division Director for the county's Department of Health Services.