Glenn County receives $17M to expand behavioral, mental health services
Jan. 11—Health and Human Services Agency Director Christine Zoppi announced last week that Glenn County was awarded $17,278,529 in grant funding for a county-based project that supports behavioral health infrastructure, "giving the county new opportunities to address gaps in care and create sustainable improvements that better serve county residents."
"This project will not only expand service capacity for children, youth, and families in the Glenn County community, but will allow for innovative interventions and services that are more culturally responsive, and encompass the diverse needs of our beneficiaries," said Glenn County Behavioral Health Director Joe Hallett. "This is a space that will allow for integrated care with additional resources, agency partners, and other service providers available onsite, in partnership with Behavioral Health."
According to county officials, the design of the Orland Youth and Family Wellness Center Project is an integrated outpatient mental health and substance use disorder clinic that includes provision of perinatal substance use disorder services for children, youth and families.
"The project will create additional space for partners such as Child Welfare Services, Probation, Eligibility, CalWorks, Housing Services, Community Action Department and other community-based services," read the release. "This project would also create capacity for county providers and contractors to deliver expanded service types. Through this project, it not only expands service capacity, but allows innovative options for our beneficiaries to participate in their wellness and recovery."
According to a release issued by Glenn County officials, the award is delivered through the Department of Health Care Services' Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round 4: Children and Youth grants — which is part of $480.5 million in awards announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom for 54 projects to improve California's behavioral health infrastructure for children and youth.
This is the fourth of six rounds of the $2.2 billion BHCIP funding, according to county officials, which was authorized in the fiscal year 2021/22 budget to construct, acquire, and expand behavioral health facilities and community-based care options.
County officials said these funds, which can only be used for facility capacity expansion, will ensure care can be provided in the least restrictive settings by creating a wide range of options, including outpatient alternatives, urgent care, peer respite, wellness centers, and social rehabilitation models.
"They will allow alternatives to incarceration, hospitalization, homelessness, and institutionalization by better meeting the needs of vulnerable populations who face the greatest barriers to access," said officials. "A variety of care placement options can provide a vital off-ramp from intensive behavioral health service settings, helping transition individuals, including the most vulnerable, to community living."
