The funding was awarded to the Riverside University Health System’s Behavioral Health Department through California’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. Announced Monday, the investment will support projects, including the Behavioral Health Wellness Center and the Harmony Haven Children and Youth Wellness Center, among other initiatives.

“We are extremely grateful to receive these funds to expand behavioral health in Riverside County as a whole,” Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said in a statement. “We appreciate this incredible support from the State of California. We advocated with Governor Newsom for this measure, knowing the great need we have for high-quality behavioral health services and the continuum of care.”

The funding is part of Proposition 1, a bond measure passed by California voters in 2024 to improve mental health treatment and substance use services across the state.

Of the total, $184 million will go toward the Behavioral Health Wellness Center in Moreno Valley. The center will include a 100-bed inpatient psychiatric facility to serve both adults and, for the first time, children under age 12. Officials said the project will increase access to mental health care and reduce strain on local emergency rooms.

The remaining $149.7 million will fund services at the Harmony Haven Children and Youth Wellness Center in Beaumont, according to officials. The center will offer Riverside County’s first 30-bed adolescent residential substance use disorder facility, a 16-bed psychiatric residential treatment facility, a 15-station mental health urgent care unit and an outpatient clinic for ongoing behavioral health and substance use care.

In addition, officials said the state funding will help serve Riverside County’s growing population of nearly 2.5 million residents, particularly children who often have to seek care outside the county.

“When someone is in crisis, delays can worsen their condition and separate them from their family and support system,” RUHS-BH Director Dr. Matthew Chang said. “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.”

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RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Community meetings focused on how to improve the delivery of mental health services in Riverside County will be held next week, with an open invitation to residents to take part and share opinions.

“Engagement and input from residents are crucial to shaping effective and responsive behavioral health services,” Riverside University Health System Behavioral Health Director Dr. Matthew Chang said. “We encourage everyone to participate to help guide the future of behavioral health care in Riverside County.”

Officials will specifically solicit input on proposed changes to the local Mental Health Services Plan, a product of voter-approved Proposition 63 from 2004, which resulted in increased income tax assessments on residents earning more than $1 million annually to pay for expanded therapeutic resources.

The county is seeking to expand and reconfigure some of the mental health services prescribed by Prop 63, including components related to early intervention for youth suffering depression, programs for children with disabilities and suicide prevention.

“Through the in-person and remote forums, residents can delve into the MHSA Plan and associated programs, ask questions and share their feedback,” according to an RUHS statement. “All comments will be incorporated into the plan submitted to the county Board of Supervisors and the California Department of Health Care Services. This … ensures the voices of residents directly influence local behavioral health services.”

The forums are scheduled on the following dates and at the following locations:

— Tuesday, May 28, 3-7 p.m., Moreno Valley Conference & Recreation Center, 14075 Frederick St.; and

— Thursday, May 30, 3-5 p.m., Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, 47-470 Van Buren St., Indio.

Recordings of the meetings will be made available via RUHS’ social media pages, which can be viewed at https://www.ruhealth.org/behavioral-health/MHSA.

Further details can be found at www.RUhealth.org, or by calling 951- 955-7198.

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