NEW PEER RESPITE BRINGS VITAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO PLACER COUNTY
Project Adds Sixteen New Peer Respite Beds to People Awaiting or Leaving Residential Treatment
SACRAMENTO — On January 29, 2025, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) attended Placer County's opening of a new 16-bed adult peer respite that provides a safe, supportive, and home-like environment for adults awaiting placement in residential treatment programs or exiting such programs to a lower level of care. The facility, dubbed “The Harbor," will begin welcoming clients on February 3 through a referral-based system managed by Placer County's substance use team.
DHCS awarded Placer County nearly $400,000 through the
Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), which is part of California's ongoing commitment to expand behavioral health services for all Californians. With the passage of Proposition 1,
even more behavioral health treatment facilities will be funded and built in 2025 and 2026.
“Too often, restrictive inpatient settings are the only option available to people experiencing a mental health crisis," said
DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “Community-based, trauma-informed, and resilience-focused centers like The Harbor have the potential to revolutionize California's approach to behavioral health treatment and recovery."
THE HARBOR: The new facility will include peer respite designed to complement the Placer County Health and Human Services Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) treatment continuum by providing a structured environment for people leaving residential placements or awaiting placement. Residents will engage in self-help recovery activities while potentially also participating in outpatient care.
Services provided include ongoing needs assessment across the behavioral health and physical health spectrums, case management, crisis management, trauma-informed individual and group therapy, peer-to-peer supportive services, linkage to cultural supports and services, and other necessary referral services for a safe and efficient discharge back into the community. These services are designed to provide less costly and less intrusive care than those offered in a hospital setting.
"The Harbor will offer a compassionate, supportive environment where individuals can regain their strength, heal, and reconnect with their sense of well-being," said
Placer County Behavioral Health Director Amy Ellis. "This facility is part of Placer County's ongoing efforts to build and expand its behavioral health infrastructure to respond to people in need."
WHY BHCIP 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 co-occurring mental health treatment needs and substance use disorders. BHCIP is addressing historic gaps in the behavioral health care system to meet the growing demand for services and supports 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 as part of Behavioral Health Transformation, DHCS' work to implement Proposition 1. DHCS holds regular public listening sessions on this effort. Updates and recordings of the sessions are available on the Behavioral Health Transformation webpage.
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 awarded facilities were funded a total of $518.5 million. 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.