Riverside County is poised to enhance its mental health services significantly, thanks to a generous injection of state funds totaling over $333 million. The recent announcement highlighted the allocation of these funds to the Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH), aimed at expanding critical services for mental health and substance use disorders. As reported on Monday, the funding will be channeled into two major projects that seek to bridge the gaps in service that have long plagued the area, especially for children and youth.
The financial support comes from Proposition 1, the California bond measure that voters approved in 2024. Supervisors from Riverside County have been vocal supporters of the measure, which is designed to increase the number of behavioral health treatment beds and enhance care. "We are extremely proud to receive these funds to expand behavioral health in Riverside County as a whole," Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, expressed in a statement obtained by the RUHealth.org news release. Governor Newsom's administration has also been credited for its support in this advocacy effort.
The first of the funded projects, RUHS Behavioral Health Wellness Center, is supported by a $184 million state grant. It's designed to become a 100-bed inpatient psychiatric facility that will tend to adults, adolescents, and, marking a first for the county, children ages 12 and under. Located on the RUHS-Medical Center campus in Moreno Valley, the center is expected to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments and ensure residents can access care closer to home.
In Beaumont, the Harmony Haven Children & Youth Wellness Center will become the beneficiary of a $149.7 million state grant. This center plans to offer comprehensive behavioral health services to youth up to age 18, including the county's premier 30-bed Adolescent Residential Substance Use Disorder facility, a 16-bed Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility, along with a 15-station Mental Health Urgent Care and an outpatient clinic. Fifth District Riverside County Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez told RUHealth.org, "We are grateful for the tremendous investments in health for Riverside County residents. The designation of these funds will make access to compassionate behavioral health care a powerful reality for individuals in need."
With a population nearing 2.5 million, Riverside County has been experiencing an increased demand for such services, particularly among its youngest residents who face delays and are often compelled to seek care outside of the county. RUHS-BH Director Dr. Matthew Chang has emphasized the importance of these grants, stating, "These grants are a lifeline. The Wellness Center and Harmony Haven will help us bring timely, compassionate care to the people who need it most—right here in Riverside County." Through Proposition 1 and the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, the state of California is taking definitive steps toward building a more modern and community-focused behavioral health care system.
