SAN DIEGO (SEPTEMBER 12, 2023) – The County of San Diego’s Behavioral Health Department plans to expand the number of available adult Residential Facilities (ARFs) and Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly beds for Medi-Cal eligible adults; and today Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the Board of Supervisors supported this with their vote. 

“Some of our residents rely on Medi-Cal for their mental health care, but right now there are not enough beds to meet the need, and County Behavioral Health is working to open more Board and Care beds,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer, who serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We have pursued funding to help people who cannot afford private care options, done the analysis, and have a strategy in place now to grow bed capacity. Supervisor Joel Anderson’s proposal makes sure we have an accurate picture of the need and I was pleased to support his policy.”   

As noted in the Board Letter voted on today, “The Board has taken multiple actions to maintain and expand board and care capacity through State grant opportunities by accepting over $16.6 million for the Community Care Expansion Preservation program to help sustain existing licensed residential adult and senior care facilities that may be struggling to continue operating. The County has also obtained $44.3 million of Behavioral Health Bridge Housing grant funding to expand board and care capacity for individuals with behavioral health conditions through increased reimbursement rates; however, a prevalent gap in regional board and care bed reimbursement rates and capacity still remains.”

Supervisor Joel Anderson’s policy was for the County to support doing an assessment of the need, and identify strategies to grow Board and care and subacute mental health capacity.  To read the entire policy, click here.