CALIFORNIA CELEBRATES GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW OUTPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER IN MODESTO
Stanislaus County Project Received More Than $5 Million to Improve California's Behavioral Health Infrastructure for Children, Youth, and Their Families
SACRAMENTO — The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) joined
Center for Human Services on June 10 to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new outpatient behavioral health center in Modesto to serve children, youth, and their families in the Central Valley. DHCS awarded Center for Human Services more than $5 million to build a safe space to address gaps in mental health and substance use disorder treatment. This will enable Center for Human Services to serve more than 1,425 new community members with critical resources annually.
(Groundbreaking led by Center for Human Services Deputy Executive Director Gina Machado, right, and Steve Collins, Center for Human Services Program Director - Behavioral Health)
With the recently approved Proposition 1 bonds, in 2025 and 2026, even more treatment sites will be funded and built.
“Equity-driven organizations like Center for Human Services are community-based champions in our work to improve the mental health and well-being of Californians," said
DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “This groundbreaking is a game-changer that will enable our community partner to provide vital behavioral health services to children and youth. This marks a new chapter of hope and healing in the Central Valley."
This effort, part of the
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, is a historic investment that provides grant funding to construct new facilities and expand existing facilities that help children, youth, transition-age youth, and pregnant or postpartum individuals and their families with mental health and/or substance use disorders.
CENTER FOR HUMAN SERVICES: Since 1989, Center for Human Services has provided mental health services in Stanislaus County and is one of the largest behavioral health service providers in the county. It provides both school and community-based services and has Medi-Cal provider agreements with Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and the Medi-Cal managed care plans in the county – Health Net, Health Plan of San Joaquin, and Kaiser Permanente.
Center for Human Services provides services to youth who are in crisis, including those experiencing homelessness. The new outpatient behavioral health center will be a one-stop service hub for youth transitioning to adulthood who need mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment. In addition, it will serve as an assessment and service center for school-age children, youth, and their families, expanding capacity for assessments and improving linkages to school-based services. Other services will include core treatment team services, behavioral health assessments, school-based services navigation, access to outpatient substance use disorder treatment services, and peer recovery and wellness groups and activities.
“One of the most important things for young people is to have easy access to services and receive the right level of care. Center for Human Services has extensive experience providing both school- and community-based mental health and substance use services, and is one of the largest children and youth-serving organizations in Stanislaus County," said
Center for Human Services Executive Director Cindy Duenas. “Community engagement is at the core of our work and is aligned with our mission to change lives and build futures through programs that strengthen and support youth and families."
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: Through the
Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), DHCS awards eligible entities funding to construct, acquire, and expand properties and invest in mobile crisis infrastructure to further expand the range of community-based behavioral health treatment options for people with mental health and substance use disorders, who have been involved in the justice system, and who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Center for Human Services was funded through BHCIP Round 4: Children and Youth.
BHCIP is addressing historic gaps in the behavioral health care system and meeting the growing demand for services and support throughout the lifespans of people in need. DHCS was authorized through 2021 legislation to award $2.2 billion in BHCIP competitive grants. In addition, DHCS will distribute roughly $4 billion in BHCIP grants under Proposition 1 bond funds. Proposition 1 includes the Behavioral Health Services Act and Behavioral Health Bond Act of 2024; more information about Proposition 1 can be found at
mentalhealth.ca.gov.
Behavioral Health Transformation is DHCS' work to implement Proposition 1. DHCS holds monthly public listening sessions. Updates and recordings of the sessions are available on the
Behavioral Health Transformation webpage.
ABOUT BHCIP ROUND 4: CHILDREN AND YOUTH: BHCIP Round 4 focused not only on children and youth, but all Californians ages 25 and younger, including pregnant and postpartum women and their children and transition-age youth ages 16-25, along with their families. The 52 awards totaling $480.5 million allow for new construction and expansion of multiple outpatient and residential facility types, including children's crisis residential programs, perinatal residential substance use disorder facilities, community wellness/youth prevention centers, and outpatient treatment for substance use disorder. For more information, please visit the
BHCIP website.