Flipping The Pyramid: From Crisis To Care
4,000 NEW beds to treat people struggling with addiction and seeking treatment in our community??
This week, I joined healthcare and community partners to announce a major step forward in our fight to improve behavioral health care in San Diego County. Together, we’ve submitted 31 Proposition 1 funding applications, seeking over $580 million from the State to build more than 4,000 new behavioral health beds across the region.
If approved, these beds will save lives, expand access to care, and address the root causes of the behavioral health crisis impacting our classrooms, homes, and streets.
But submitting these funding requests is just the first step. Once funding is approved, local city councils and mayors must act quickly to fast-track permits and approvals so these projects move forward without delays.
How You Can Help:
Cities across our region have a role to play. Check out this map of proposed projects:
We’re asking all residents to sign a letter urging local governments to prioritize these critical projects. Your voice matters. Together, we can transform San Diego County’s behavioral health system—saving lives and creating a healthier future for our community.
Flipping The Pyramid: Why Our Work Matters
While this announcement is a huge step forward, it’s important to understand how we got here. For decades, California’s behavioral health care system has been like an upside-down pyramid—unstable and inefficient, focusing on crises instead of preventing them.
Starting in the 1970s, funding cuts and the closure of state hospitals eliminated critical resources, leaving communities with few options for care. This lack of investment created a cascading crisis:
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Too many people who need help can’t find beds, programs, or services.
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Hospitals are overwhelmed because patients can’t step down to lower levels of care, and
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Too many individuals are left on the streets without the support they need.
But here in San Diego County, we’re flipping that pyramid.
When we prioritize prevention over crisis care, everyone benefits:
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Fewer people end up in crisis.
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Police and emergency rooms aren’t overwhelmed by mental health emergencies.
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Families and individuals can get help early, before situations spiral.
Here in San Diego, we’re already seeing progress with mobile crisis response teams and expanded family wellness programs. These changes are building a system that’s better for patients, saves taxpayer dollars, and improves our community’s overall health.
Our Work to Rebuild
Since I took office in 2021, we’ve increased San Diego County’s behavioral health budget by 40%, adding over $300 million. These investments have expanded crisis response teams, residential care, and early intervention programs to provide care before a crisis, not just during one.
Now, with Proposition 1, we have an opportunity to take this work further. Thank you for being a part of this vital effort to flip the pyramid and build a stronger, healthier San Diego County. Together, we can transform behavioral health care for generations to come.
In service,
Terra Lawson-Remer
Chair, County Board of Supervisors