“California’s investment reflects a generational commitment to equity and healing,” said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “The Inner-Tribal Wellness Village will provide spaces where individuals can find safety, dignity, and connection, grounded in culture and built around the needs of the people it serves.”
The campus will serve Tribal communities throughout San Diego County and surrounding regions who need behavioral health treatment and support. When completed, the Inner-Tribal Wellness Village will include a 60‑bed adult residential SUD treatment facility and a community mental health clinic with 120 outpatient slots, serving an estimated 500 individuals annually.
WHY THIS MATTERS: Since 2021, Inner-Tribal Treatment has provided culturally affirming services to 18 federally recognized Tribes in San Diego County and 12 Tribes in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The new campus will expand that work by blending traditional healing practices with evidence-based clinical treatment, creating a holistic environment for care and recovery. Campus features will include spaces for talking circles, smudging, traditional teachings, and cultural ceremonies as well as clinical modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy and other proven treatments that help people build skills for long-term wellness.
“This initiative represents a vital step forward in enhancing mental health, substance use disorder, and wellness services for our Tribal communities, who have historically faced significant disparities in access to care,” said Robert Aguilar, Founder and CEO of Inner-Tribal Treatment. “The Inner-Tribal Wellness Village will serve as a crucial hub for healing in a stigma-free environment, empowering individuals to take charge of their health and well-being in a culturally and spiritually affirming space.”
The Inner‑Tribal Wellness Village reflects a sustained investment that expands regional treatment capacity and moves California closer to its goal of a stronger, more equitable, and more accountable behavioral health system.
BIGGER PICTURE: Proposition 1, approved by California voters in March 2024, authorized up to $4.4 billion in bond funding for DHCS to expand behavioral health treatment infrastructure statewide. The initiative is creating thousands of new residential beds and outpatient treatment slots, prioritizing high‑need communities, including Tribal and rural regions. Under Proposition 1:
- Bond BHCIP Round 1: Launch Ready funded $2.99 billion in competitive grants, with 10 Tribal projects awarded a total of $142.6 million.
- Bond BHCIP Round 2: Unmet Needs added $1.18 billion, supporting 66 additional projects across 130 facilities. Round 2 supports Tribal communities with six projects awarded $69.6 million, including $12 million to establish California’s first Tribal Peer Respite (Yurok Tribe), offering peer‑led, community‑based support for behavioral health crises. Bond BHCIP awards exceeded the required $30 million set-aside for Tribal entities. Tribal projects were awarded $212.2 million across both rounds.
- Together, the state has committed to 6,919 new residential/inpatient treatment beds and 27,561 outpatient treatment slots, surpassing Proposition 1 statewide goals just two years after passage and supporting 177 projects across 333 facilities.
California is building a comprehensive
continuum of behavioral health care, offering a full range of supports, from prevention and early intervention to treatment, crisis response, and long-term recovery. This approach is designed to ensure that every Californian, especially those who have historically faced the greatest barriers to care, can access high-quality mental health and SUD treatment when and where they need it.
Backed by significant investments, new policies, and strong partnerships, California is expanding treatment services and supportive housing while strengthening and diversifying the workforce. By prioritizing prevention, early support, and services tailored to individual needs, California is helping people get the right care at the right time, leading to better health outcomes and stronger communities statewide.