Board Approves East Valley Region Crisis Project

SAN BERNARDINO >> The Board of Supervisors has approved a grant award and agreement with the California Health Facilities Financing Authority for an East Valley Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU). The proposed CSU facility for the East Valley Region is to be constructed over a 2.16 acre County-owned site located at the southeast corner of Gilbert Street and Windsor Drive in the city of San Bernardino. The 20-bed CSU facility (16 adult and 4 adolescent) will specialize in providing a community based, lower-level-of-care alternative to emergency rooms, acute care hospitals, residential placements and jails which will meet the needs of severely mentally ill (SMI) adults and children. The CSU program provides urgent mental health services 24/7 to SMI individuals of all age groups – children, adolescents, adults and older adults – in need of immediate access to crisis mental health services. A professional staff of licensed therapists, clinicians and vocational nurses provide urgent mental health services consisting of crisis intervention, crisis risk assessments, medication support and case management. The maximum length of stay is 23 hours. The Department of Behavioral Health anticipates the expansion will serve approximately 4,600 individuals through the CSU facility annually. Board Chairman James Ramos commented, “The use of this grant funding will provide for the health and social service needs of residents throughout the county by increasing access to crisis residential services, effectively meeting the needs of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in the least restrictive manner possible and working collaboratively with local law enforcement, hospitals and community based providers.” More information on this item can be found in the April 5 Board agenda at http://cob-sire.sbcounty.gov/sirepub/.