— The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and JWCH Institute (John Wesley County Hospital) today broke ground on an adult residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facility and wellness center in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles. This new campus will provide critical mental health and SUD treatment services to unhoused adults with SUD and individuals experiencing mental health issues.
The project will include a two-story building dedicated to behavioral health treatment. The first floor will add a community wellness center to serve 3,258 individuals each year in an outpatient setting. The second story will include an adult residential SUD treatment facility that will expand capacity by 38 beds within an integrated medical campus that offers a range of care. Of the 38 beds, 10 will be dedicated to SUD treatment with incidental medical services.
Groundbreaking for JWCH Institute SUD Treatment Facility
DHCS awarded JWCH more than $14.5 million through the
Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), which works to expand the behavioral health facility infrastructure to serve Californians in need. With the recently approved Proposition 1 bonds, in 2025 and 2026,
even more behavioral health treatment facilities will be funded and built.
“JWCH Institute is taking needed steps to halt the revolving door between emergency rooms and the streets by offering safe, compassionate care for those who need it most," said
DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “We are pleased to partner with them to expand critical care in Los Angeles County."
“There is a lack of SUD residential treatment services on Skid Row, and JWCH will be able to fill the gap in the crisis continuum that currently exists," said
Al Ballesteros, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wesley Health Centers and the JWCH Institute.
JWCH INSTITUTE: JWCH Institute is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people in the Los Angeles area who face barriers to accessing care through directly providing or coordinating health care, education, services, and research. Through the new Wesley Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (funded through BCHIP Round 3: Launch Ready grants) and the Crocker Street Expansion (funded through BHCIP Round 5: Crisis and Behavioral Health Continuum), JWCH will provide easy-to-access crisis intervention and stabilization, assessments, and therapy. JWCH will also offer a full range of SUD services, including standard and intensive outpatient treatment and a recuperative care/residential rehabilitation treatment program.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: Through 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 SUDs. BHCIP is addressing historic gaps in the behavioral health care system to meet the growing demand for services and support throughout the lifespan of people in need.
DHCS has awarded $1.7 billion in BHCIP competitive grants. In addition, DHCS will distribute up to $4.4 billion in competitive Bond BHCIP funding, including $3.3 billion for Round 1: Launch Ready grants.
Behavioral Health Transformation is DHCS' work to implement
Proposition 1. DHCS holds regular public listening sessions. Updates and recordings of the sessions are available on the
Behavioral Health Transformation webpage. California is transforming its entire mental health and SUD treatment system to provide better behavioral health care for all Californians. Learn more at
mentalhealth.ca.gov.
ABOUT BHCIP ROUND 3: LAUNCH READY:
BHCIP Round 3 supported preparation activities to plan for the acquisition and expansion of behavioral health infrastructure throughout the state. The 45 facilities totaling $518.5 million allowed for new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of real estate assets to expand the behavioral health continuum of treatment and service resources. BHCIP applicants were required to demonstrate project expansion with the behavioral health continuum of treatment and services in settings that serve Medi-Cal members and have a valid planning process to ensure projects are ready for implementation.
ABOUT BHCIP ROUND 5: CRISIS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM:
BHCIP Round 5 was developed, in part, through a statewide needs assessment that identified significant gaps in available crisis services. This assessment showed the need for a better system of crisis care to reduce emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and incarceration. The 33 awards, totaling $430 million, are being used to build and expand crisis care and behavioral health facilities statewide and will serve vulnerable Californians of all ages, including Medi-Cal members.
Please see the
BHCIP website for more information about grant recipients and additional details about all BHCIP funding rounds.