On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to formally accept $29.8 million in new funding through California’s Proposition 1 program, unlocking two major treatment projects that will expand access to behavioral health and addiction care across the region.

The Board’s vote clears the way for construction to begin on:

● Substance Use Recovery & Treatment Services (SURTS) – A new adult residential treatment facility in National City, led by the County of San Diego, that will offer 72 beds for adults with substance use conditions, along with 16 new recuperative care beds.

● Children’s Crisis Residential Center (CCRC) –This County-led project will provide 16 new mental health crisis residential beds to support children.

These new treatment centers will deliver care before a crisis becomes a catastrophe,” said Acting Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. “That’s how we stop the revolving door and build a behavioral health system that saves lives.”

Region-Wide Momentum: Over $185M in State Awards, More Than 350 New Beds

The County’s two projects are part of a broader regional effort that has already drawn over $185 million in state investments, with seven local projects funded to date. In addition to the two County-led facilities, five San Diego-based community organizations also received Prop 1 awards:

● McAlister Institute – Adult residential substance use and outpatient treatment on the San Diego Recovery Campus Epidaurus (Amity Foundation) – Residential substance use treatment at Amity Vista Ranch in Vista

● Palomar Health Foundation – Acute psychiatric and substance use treatment at the Behavioral Health Institute in Escondido

● Inner-Tribal Treatment – Substance use residential services at the Inner-Tribal Wellness Village in Pauma Valley

● Casa de Amparo – Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) for youth in San Marcos

“These wins aren’t just about dollars—they’re about delivering care, stability, and dignity in the neighborhoods where it’s needed most,” said Lawson-Remer. “We made a promise to build a system that treats mental health and addiction as public health issues—and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Delivering on the ‘Care Before Crisis’ Vision

These wins follow a year-long push by Acting Chair Lawson-Remer, who joined Governor Newsom and successfully urged the Board of Supervisors to endorse Prop 1. In her 2025 State of the County Address, Lawson-Remer unveiled the County’s Care Before Crisis Plan to double treatment capacity and prevent unnecessary ER visits, jail stays, and street-level suffering.

“These projects are the down payment on that vision,” said Lawson-Remer. “We’re moving from reacting to emergencies to building a behavioral health system that actually works—before, during, and after someone needs help.”

What Comes Next

With state funding now awarded, local governments must move swiftly to accelerate construction, remove red tape, and get shovels in the ground.

“We brought this money home—now we need every city and every partner to help get these beds built,” said Lawson-Remer. “Let’s not let bureaucracy delay care that’s ready to be delivered.”