Wave Staff Report
SACRAMENTO — The state Legislature Aug. 28 approved a measure authored by state Sen. Bob Archuleta, D-Norwalk, and championed by county Supervisor Janice Hahn to allow the county to develop a mental health community on the Metropolitan State Hospital campus in Norwalk campus to treat and house people with mental illness.
“This is a significant first step to allow state property in L.A. County to be redeveloped and repurposed to address two of the most pressing issues we face — mental illness and homelessness,” Archuleta said. “As we seek the governor’s signature, it is clear that collaboration between the state, local governments and community stakeholders remain vital if we are to succeed in addressing our homeless and mental health crises.”
“We are battling a mental health crisis and we desperately need places where we can treat and house people who are struggling,” Hahn said. “With just a small corner of this state property we can provide care and support for hundreds of people at a time. The need is overwhelming and we have no time to waste. I urge the governor to sign the bill as soon as it gets to his desk, and I look forward to working with our state partners to get these mental health facilities up and running.”
Senate Bill 1336 authorizes the director of the state Department of General Services to lease seven buildings that are currently unused at Metropolitan State Hospital to a nonprofit or local government to provide housing and/or treatment to people with behavioral health needs.
The Metropolitan State Hospital is a state-run public hospital specializing in psychiatric care. The 826-bed hospital is operated by the Department of State Hospitals and has an open campus within a security perimeter on 162 acres of state property.
Currently, the state hospital admits patients in four different categories: incompetent to stand trial, offender with mental health disorder, not guilty by reason of insanity and conservatorship under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act.
Under the leadership of Hahn, Los Angeles County is seeking to renovate the buildings to develop a new mental health community campus that will serve adults and transitional age youth with varying mental health and housing needs. In June, the state and county entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement regarding the leasing of the seven buildings.
The Los Angeles County Care Community will include a series of facilities offering diverse treatment and housing options for people with mental health challenges to be overseen by the county Department of Mental Health. The seven buildings were identified through a collaborative effort between the county and state.
To create a care community, the county will be using various grant programs and funding provided by the state as part of the state’s response to the homelessness and mental health crisis.
SB 1336 and the mental health campus proposal come in response to the growing concerns over the state’s mental health and homelessness crises. The Los Angeles County Care Community is an example of the county and state collaborating to identify government property that can be converted into housing while providing access to essential services.
“Using state-owned underutilized land to house people with mental health needs is a win-win situation for both the individual and the communities in which they reside by getting them the support they need and off the street,” Archuleta said.
The bill now heads to the governor’s desk where he must sign or veto it by the end of the month.
