The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a series of actions on Tuesday to take a critical step forward in enhancing behavioral health services for the region’s residents. These key actions will further the development of a new psychiatric inpatient facility and crisis stabilization unit at the UC San Diego Health East Campus Medical Center (formerly Alvarado Hospital). The facility will add 30 new inpatient psychiatric beds, serving adults with severe mental health crises who require 24-hour observation and intensive treatment, along with short-term crisis stabilization services. The partnership, led by Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, is designed to address the growing need for behavioral health services in the region, specifically for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

“As elected officials with the power to transform our region, we must build a system of care that reflects mental health care as a right, not a privilege,” said Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe. “Today, we are taking real, tangible action to close the gap in mental health services that have been underfunded, under-resourced, and out of reach for so many in our region and instilling a sense of optimism for our future.”

“We’re building the kind of behavioral health system our region needs, one that is more efficient, fills gaps in the network, and meets the needs of all San Diego residents,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, vice chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “By investing in this facility at the East Campus Medical Center, we are taking a significant step forward in ensuring that people in crisis can access the care they need, when they need it.”

As part of the vote, the Board authorized $32 million to cover the costs of the facility improvements, which are essential to ensuring the long-term fiscal health and stability of the County’s behavioral health infrastructure.

The vote follows the Board’s decision on May 21, 2024, to enter into negotiations with UC San Diego Health to establish psychiatric acute inpatient services, a crisis stabilization unit, and an emergency psychiatric unit at the East Campus Medical Center. Today the Board also received an update on this partnership and authorized further action to formalize agreements.

The partnership with UC San Diego Health is part of the County’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its behavioral health system of care and ensure equitable access to quality services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries. These actions will help support the County’s broader goals of promoting healthy, safe, and thriving communities, particularly for those populations that have been historically underserved in the East region.

The expanded capacity is expected to become available after $32 million in facility improvements are made to the project.