Yolo County supervisors moved quickly this week to lock in more help for residents in mental health crisis, signing off on a contract with WellSpace Health that opens short-term crisis care slots at a Sacramento receiving center. The deal launches a pilot that initially supplies three "crisis chairs" for Yolo residents. On the same agenda, the board adopted an updated master fee schedule and picked Sheila Allen as the board’s 2026 chair, with Angel Barajas as vice chair. County leaders framed the actions as a temporary boost to crisis capacity while longer-term local options are planned.
What the WellSpace contract covers
Under the new agreement, the Sacramento receiving center will set aside up to three short-term crisis slots for Yolo County residents at any given time. County staff told supervisors that stays will be limited to 24 hours, with no more than three Yolo clients served at once. The center’s services are expected to include crisis intervention, screening and risk assessment, peer support, linkage to follow-up care, and basic needs such as food, showers and laundry. Those contract details were reported by the Davis Enterprise, and WellSpace highlights its 24/7 CRISIS continuum, including 988 and crisis receiving services, on its website.
Pilot background and logistics
County health officials previously laid out a one-year pilot to test partnerships with outside crisis receiving centers rather than immediately building a county-run facility, as part of implementing changes under the Behavioral Health Services Act. That work is being coordinated with the county’s Mental Health Services Act and BHSA planning and the 2025-26 annual MHSA update. Local coverage has followed talks about Sacramento and Woodland options as Yolo County narrows how to provide a dedicated place to go for people in crisis, with Yolo County materials and local reporting documenting the debate. For program background and planning documents, see Yolo County’s MHSA pages and The Aggie.
Budget, fees and other board actions
Supervisors also signed off on the 2025-26 master fee resolution and master fee schedule, a package county staff said includes 86 new fees, 264 fee revisions and 71 deletions across departments. The board approved the Mental Health Services Act annual update for FY 2025-26, granted an exception to the 180-day waiting period so Sandra Gordon can be hired as an extra-help retired annuitant effective Jan. 11, 2026, and renewed Ordinance No. 1555 authorizing the sheriff’s office to use specified military equipment. The Davis Enterprise reported that a Woodland provider the county had considered did not move forward because of licensing issues, leaving WellSpace as the Sacramento partner backed by the board.
Board leadership and meetings
Looking ahead, supervisors selected Sheila Allen to serve as board chair in 2026 and Angel Barajas as vice chair, shifting officer roles in advance of the coming year. The Yolo County Board of Supervisors meets in Room 206 of the County Administration Building at 625 Court Street in Woodland and posts agendas and adopted records online. Residents can check the county’s Board of Supervisors page for meeting schedules, materials and contact information.
Why this matters locally
Routing Yolo residents to an existing Sacramento crisis receiving center should mean quicker access to staffed, 24/7 supports, even if the pilot currently offers only three crisis chairs at a time. It also means the county has to coordinate transportation and follow-up care across county lines. WellSpace and regional partners have been building out a larger crisis campus and infrastructure in Sacramento, which makes those travel and linkage details especially important for Yolo residents who end up there. County officials have described the WellSpace arrangement as a stopgap while local crisis options are developed. The board’s upcoming agendas and documents are available on the county website for anyone tracking how the pilot rolls out and what comes next.
