San Diego County Proposes $210 Million Mental Health Campus

San Diego County is moving forward with a plan to establish a comprehensive mental health campus, aiming to serve up to 20,000 individuals annually. The county board of supervisors has approved a grant proposal to seek $100 million from the state’s Proposition 1 funding to support the development of this facility on land it owns on Rosecrans Street, adjacent to the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital. This initiative seeks to create a facility that provides a wide range of mental health services, addressing early symptoms before they escalate into crises.

The proposed campus will replace a now-vacant single-story building that previously housed various health departments. The project, which was initially estimated at $150 million, has seen its budget increase to $210 million to include the value of the land, estimated at $27 million. The comprehensive facility will feature a crisis stabilization unit, a mental health rehabilitation center, social rehabilitation services, an adult residential substance use disorder treatment facility, and an outpatient community mental health clinic.

Innovative Approach to Mental Health Care

This initiative responds to the growing demand for mental health services, which has overwhelmed existing facilities. Many patients find themselves in emergency departments due to a lack of available beds in hospital-based units. The proposed campus is designed to offer a continuum of care, enabling individuals to transition seamlessly between different levels of treatment as their needs change.

Karen Larsen, executive director of the Steinberg Institute, highlighted the significance of this project, noting that it aligns with statewide goals to favor campus models that serve both mental health and substance use disorders. “It’s very in line with what the state intended with this funding,” she stated. Larsen pointed out that similar facilities in California are scarce, with only two comparable models in Riverside and Orange County.

The campus aims to provide services that address a wide range of symptom severity, from moderate anxiety to suicidal ideation. Crisis centers will serve as the first step for individuals experiencing distress, allowing them to relax in comfortable settings while trained clinicians assess their needs for further treatment. The mental health rehabilitation center will offer a variety of services, including group therapy, medication management, and other personalized care options.

Competitive Funding Landscape

San Diego County faces significant competition for the $800 million available in the second round of Proposition 1 funding, which focuses on unmet behavioral health needs following the statewide bond passed by voters in March 2024. A successful grant application would not cover the entire cost of the campus, prompting the county to explore additional financing options in collaboration with private partners.

County supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has been a strong advocate for this initiative, emphasizing the need for integrated care that addresses both mental health and substance use conditions. “The kind of framework where you get substance abuse treatment in one location and mental health treatment somewhere else makes no sense,” she explained. “These are so often co-occurring conditions.”

If successful in securing the grant, the county plans to develop a financial strategy to support the project, although Lawson-Remer acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding alternative funding plans should the grant not be awarded.

In a parallel effort, Palomar Health in North County is also pursuing funding, seeking $50 million to construct a 120-bed behavioral health specialty hospital. This proposal follows the rescinding of an earlier grant due to funding match challenges.

The proposed mental health campus in San Diego County represents a critical step towards improving mental health services, aiming to create a more holistic and accessible system for individuals in need.