Proposed Vista behavioral health campus moves ahead after unanimous vote

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proposal to explore purchasing a slice of a 138-acre addiction treatment center in Vista to create a regional behavioral health campus.

The suggested hub, which would be placed at Green Oak Ranch, was introduced in a joint board letter by Supervisor Jim Desmond and Chair Nora Vargas to help meet an increasing need to expand emergency housing options across the region.

According to the proposal, any land the county acquires could be used to add an unidentified number of detox beds, sober living residences and long-term board-and-care space to the county's portfolio of behavioral health facilities.

"The people coming here would either be participating in programs voluntarily, or they will be forced to participate because they are under a conservatorship," Desmond said in a statement Tuesday. "My approach for North County has been 'treatment and healing.'"

With Tuesday's vote, county leaders will be able to begin negotiations to purchase a portion of Green Oak Ranch's 63 acres of open land to turn this vision for the site into a reality.

According to the supervisors, the cost of acquisition could be upwards of $12 million, while the cost of building out the hub is estimated to be about $51 million. Desmond added that Tuesday's vote can help the county begin seeking funding for the project via new state policies.

“Our community is facing critical challenges with homelessness, mental health, and addiction and it's clear our region urgently needs a campus for healing, providing sober housing and ongoing services,” Vargas said in a statement. “Hospitals are in desperate need of facilities where they can safely discharge patients and I’m proud to lead efforts for this first-of-its-kind home where people struggling can get the treatment they deserve as they rebuild their lives.” 

Deacon Jim Vargas of Father Joe's Villages, one of the primary homeless service providers in the city, issued a statement on Thursday supporting the prospect of the behavioral health site.

"We at Father Joe’s Villages know that hub-like campus models work," he said. "Weaving in a diverse array of mental health and substance use treatment options can provide hope to people who are seeking help."