CALIFORNIA AND ASPIRANET BREAK GROUND ON NEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FACILITY

Hope Forward Campus will Expand Behavioral Health Treatment Capacity for Children and Youth in the Central Valley

DHCS awarded Aspiranet more than $33 million through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), which is expanding the state's behavioral health facility infrastructure to serve the most vulnerable Californians. With the recently approved Proposition 1 bonds, even more behavioral health treatment facilities will be funded and built in 2025 and 2026.

“Wraparound youth treatment centers play a critical role in breaking the cycle of addiction and mental health struggles," said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “This groundbreaking for Aspiranet's Hope Forward Campus will result in more children and youth receiving vital behavioral health services. This marks a new chapter of hope and healing for the Central Valley."

HOPE FORWARD CAMPUS: The project includes a full behavioral health continuum of care in a centralized and accessible location. Children and youth and their families will have access to residential and outpatient behavioral health support, including a Crisis Stabilization Unit projected to serve 100 individuals annually; Children's Crisis Residential Program with six beds; Psychiatric Health Facility with eight inpatient beds; Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program with 16 residential beds; Office-Based Opioid Treatment, which will serve an estimated 1,250 individuals annually; and a Community Wellness Center, which will serve 300 individuals annually.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity made possible by BHCIP funding to meet the growing need for mental health and SUD treatment," said Aspiranet Board Chair Kari Sturgeon.

“BHCIP will transform the services we provide to children, youth, and families," said Aspiranet CEO Vernon Brown. “The integration of a continuum of behavioral health services, from crisis to community transition, is unique. We are pleased to expand the reach of our programs with many of our county partners."

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. More information about California's mental and behavioral health transformation can be found at mentalhealth.ca.gov.
 
ABOUT ASPIRANET: Aspiranet serves more than 35,000 children, youth, and families each year from 44 community-based sites statewide. Its spectrum of services in Northern California, Southern California, and the Central Valley includes foster and adoption services, behavioral and mental health services, residential/inpatient care, educational services, community-based family services, and emergency shelter.
 
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 were funded a total of $518.5 million to construct, acquire, and rehabilitate real estate assets to expand the behavioral health continuum of treatment and service resources. BHCIP applicants were required to demonstrate service expansion for Medi-Cal members and have a valid planning process to ensure projects are ready for implementation.