News Staff
Sonoma County has proposed construction of youth and adult locked behavioral health facilities, pending site approval and state funding that could be decided by early fall.
At a town hall meeting Aug. 11 in Oakmont, District 1 Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo said the county has approved a youth facility to be built at the Los Guilicos campus, and is waiting for approval on funding for an 88-bed adult facility located at either the Los Guilicos or Orinda (Bennett Valley) campuses.
Related: VIDEO – 8-11-26 Town Hall: Updates to Los Guilicos Campus
Hermosillo and other staff directors provided detailed information about the pressing need for the proposed facilities and a pared down state request for $67 million to build the adult center to help serve the growing list of those in need by June 2030. The youth psychiatric facility would be county-funded.
“We went to the Board of Supervisors to essentially approve sort of the Hail Mary plan to go back to the State (for adult facility),” said Nolan Sullivan, director of health services. “The value of the Moonshot program is that we will have 16 beds here at home that are county paid for and cost a fraction of the price to the taxpayers,” he said. “It will save the county millions” in providing the required treatment. “We will never have this opportunity again.”
The presentation drew a varied response from attendees, ranging from support for vulnerable populations to concerns around safety, evacuation, and facility populations.
Currently, the Los Guilicos campus is home to several county-run facilities, including Eliza’s Village Emergency Shelter, which houses 60-90 residents; Juvenile Hall, with a capacity of 984; the California Children’s Services Community Clinic; the Valley of the Moon Children’s Center; the locked, 16-bed Adult Psychiatric Health Facility; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); and the Sheriff’s Department Shooting Range.
Slated to open in 2028, the state-approved Youth Psychiatric Facility is funded by an $18 million state grant awarded three years ago. The locked facility would have sixteen beds for youth with mental health and/or substance abuse issues, with a 24-day hold.
The proposed 88-bed behavioral health facility project, named Moonshot, remains in the early stages of planning as the county awaits state funding. Contractor bids for the project are due August 25, but using the Orinda location could add more than $20 million to the projected costs, according to county officials.
Santa Rosa Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal and Director Sullivan answered residents’ concerns over evacuation in the event of wildfire.
“Most residents don’t have cars,” Director Sullivan said, then shared how Los Guilicos would evacuate its own residents in an emergency, using passenger vans, a bus, and a team of emergency drivers.
On the question of safety, county officials described the locked conditions of current and proposed mental and behavioral health facilities. Susan Chauncy, who previously served as the Oakmont liaison with Los Guilicos, said there have been no verified incidents involving Los Guilicos residents in Oakmont.
Officials also said two to three security guards are currently on-site at the locked facilities 24 hours a day, and that security cameras are being installed over the next few months.
Director Sullivan said officials would provide the Oakmont Board with updates following the state’s decision.