[{"_1":2,"_108":-5,"_109":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,96],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6746151,"mediaKeyId","3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0","parentId",3781094,"title","Humboldt County wins $43.5 million Prop 1 award to replace Sempervirens psychiatric facility","audioSeconds",2196,"startMs",3300000,"endMs",5496000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0&start=3300&end=5496","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0/thumbnail_3300000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6746151/Humboldt-County/California/Humboldt-County-wins-435-million-Prop-1-award-to-replace-Sempervirens-psychiatric-facility","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746151-141df442415ee04ae9d3e32c6abc0cd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139829&Signature=h8p7rwDhlPDXwjUf6Zq4BkNccoij0vZLXRbflHhpY-jUK5t7PN3N~4rBTB7fUbRV4hzPesMlFaXyw4TzNV7tbKFqJsRMAfxuifNCsu~9xCoNRO06fP4dpHSz08obKefenL28hSFfBO5SJ2m~mvRyRqRr841nDoeJMZV~m90I0rGqAwKU8xW0~3I58f5jw6BvOy1NqrGzMptEUi3mjHD~uSaeLi8gZz6RSpgoM~YROdCQLOopazmO18P-s7wyd23eC4swpmlZc13th032MaBcj2X90Vzm7vBxdrG9rurDIN~2M8Zix1loFpHd3Rz1guynEW4eAHaDSYIaEhs1ZB3yfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-12T08:48:06.243Z","article","Humboldt County officials reported that the county has received a conditional award of $43,500,000 from California’s Proposition 1 behavioral health bond to construct a new Sempervirens psychiatric facility.

The award, announced by state officials on May 12, 2025, covers the county’s application to the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. At the June 10 Board of Supervisors meeting Health and Human Services Director Connie Beck said county staff submitted the milestone 1 materials to the state portal on May 16 and are now waiting for the state to prepare a program funding agreement. \"We must deposit the cash match funds within 90 days of execution as well,\" Beck said, summarizing the state timeline the county must meet if it signs the agreement.

Why it matters: Sempervirens serves as the county’s locked psychiatric facility; the existing structure dates to the early 20th century and has required recurring, costly repairs and work orders. County staff said federal Medicaid and Medicare rules limit funding to a 16‑bed inpatient facility and the approved project includes 16 inpatient beds plus four crisis stabilization units for stays of less than 24 hours. The county reserved up to $4.5 million in matching funds when the board passed a resolution on Sept. 10, 2024; staff said an item to authorize the release of those funds will appear on the July 1 board agenda.

What staff told the board: Connie Beck and Public Works staff said the existing Sempervirens building has required thousands of work orders and has on‑hold projects totaling roughly $4.1 million in repair needs, plus an estimated $2.0 million of additional recommended upgrades. The county used the value of county property, cash match and previously incurred consultant expenses (sunk costs) as part of the match package sent to the state. Design and construction of a locked psychiatric facility require specialized, higher‑cost fixtures and finishes, staff said.

Board discussion and next steps: Supervisors thanked staff for meeting the rapid timeline required to be “shovel ready.” Board members and public‑works staff discussed project timing and cost escalation risks. Public‑works Director Tom Mattson said staff worked across departments to assemble the application. Supervisor Madrone said accelerating design and adding staff capacity in facilities management are options the board should consider to reduce timeline and cost risk. County staff said once the state issues a program funding agreement the county has up to 90 days to sign and must deposit cash match funds within 90 days of execution; the state asked counties to return signed agreements if possible within 30 days.

Board action: The board voted 4–0 to receive and file the report on the Prop 1 conditional award and next steps. The vote did not commit the board to final construction contracts; staff said future design, contractor selection and operating‑model decisions will be brought back to the board as required.

What remains unresolved: The county has not finalized who will operate the facility (county operation versus contract operator), where outpatient services will be located (those services were not included in the Prop 1 project), and parking/site logistics for the chosen block between Fifth Street and the alley adjacent to the county public‑health lab. Staff said these matters will be addressed in design and community‑engagement phases.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Humboldt County Board of Supervisors - 2025-06-10","oneSentenceSummary","Humboldt County officials reported that the county has received a conditional award of $43,500,000 from California’s Proposition 1 behavioral health bond to construct a new Sempervirens psychiatric facility.","taxTitle","Humboldt County, California","taxId",12695,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6746138,"Public commenters challenge county child‑welfare expert appointment as board approves consent calendar",321,1826000,2147000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0&start=1826&end=2147","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0/thumbnail_1826000.jpg","/articles/6746138/Humboldt-County/California/Public-commenters-challenge-county-childwelfare-expert-appointment-as-board-approves-consent-calendar","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746138-98085f67e426da2fd83f29bfb8b75e49/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139829&Signature=fsLgC7EdX3MlfaR6TKK7DrMx~RxwEPmudWy6lN3IRP-qoHKp1Q0GPxfKA38VcpuEDWWKoht77p90Y7H~SNH17Ge-P3tRol1Alw3YQQL6o31dsNyov5zQc1tS8FD4SVrEM75XQrcmnociqPKvrepMEbD9Uvd5HMD64fdL~Bo4-KGomna6It-SCL8Z2QayhUZD9DCFh~JzSgy8yZSGdFqrUm-MRk8sz-SZuTV~8rVjr1SiN46W4yV05Msc7gGcqn-enmB5xtRiQH-gvvL9EsJN3RJvWbyVJhjd3pJoIO~v2US66XxiQZ2UdDGHPQELR4dk96OQqlXrfDC2K-jQwU9nzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During general public comment before the consent calendar, multiple speakers urged the board to reconsider a planned appointment tied to Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) representation and to increase tribal consultation and transparency.

What commenters said: Ken Slawowski told the board staff had not returned with alternatives after the board\u0000s earlier direction and read an email from a community member that said staff did not reach out to tribes or offer alternatives. Berna Fitz (public commenter) told the board she and other parents have experienced what she described as a coordinated system that \"uses\" contracted evaluators and paid expert witnesses to uphold the county narrative in child‑welfare cases. Fitz said of the named expert, \"Rich England has became a weapon for CWS. He writes expert opinions without ever speaking to the parents he's condemning on paper.\" She urged that experts meet with parents, that tribes be supported to bring their own experts, and that encounters with CWS be recorded for accountability.

Staff and board responses: Supervisor Sabrina Madrone said tribes reached out to her in the interval between meetings and indicated support for Rich England; she thanked those who reached out and said staff had been contacted. Supervisor Bone said the county has multiple contracted experts for ICWA compliance and that the contract files for the named expert appear limited. Several supervisors said they support the consent calendar while urging staff to continue to review and improve processes.

Board action: The board moved to approve the consent calendar, which included the appointment in question; the motion carried 4–0. Commenters asked the board to pursue government‑to‑government consultation with tribes and to return with alternative options where needed.","Public commenters raised concerns about a contracted expert witness (Rich England) used in child‑welfare cases and urged greater tribal consultation and transparency; the board approved the consent calendar — which included the appointment — by a 4–0 vote.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":44,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":93,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":94,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":95,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6746142,"Board introduces amendment to county emergency code to align with state law",335,3635000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0&start=3300&end=3635","/articles/6746142/Humboldt-County/California/Board-introduces-amendment-to-county-emergency-code-to-align-with-state-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746142-08aea979a89853b56c5ae0242544a529/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139829&Signature=mrEWZCBLwWPKtGsG8LvyIHNd2fF0GE23ERJbZrTT3aSr2zVHnTSkYAaAykKIXW82iLyZIOSdb-258bNsKhqxMqf7NMlWZ5LdxaXsdXkRZ2X-XJygG4UWLU0q8c~dzsecb1mzKIW-6dH8Kw1fVNNSnq74Ya6o634VGqabNwtAp1fO43eZskfVtKfqamcqeHztu3fjDOCqgXccS7J-xKb~xwiI7pzIgE0ZicB6cuXSy9rwN-3-0x-1DGYFQ3q6iK-fkA~YclGHZsIX0s0qLRrV5AWf-9VlrtfH3booDVXwMEk4SrJTcCQRiSHUq57y9M3Us4VMMgH57yYESVkE0IZx5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Humboldt County staff proposed a code amendment to align the county\u0000s emergency organization and disaster council rules with the California Emergency Services Act. The Board of Supervisors voted to introduce the ordinance by title, waive further reading and set adoption for June 17, 2025.

Key changes: Staff said the amendment extends the county code requirement to renew local emergency proclamations from 30 days to 60 days and increases the renewal period for local health emergencies from 14 to 30 days to match the state statute. The proposal also updates disaster council membership to include additional department heads and partners involved in response and recovery, reduces required standing meetings from two per year to one, and realigns the line of succession for the director of emergency services so that the emergency services program manager appears after the sheriff and undersheriff.

Why it matters: Staff said the longer renewal periods reduce the administrative burden during longer duration emergencies and bring local policy into conformity with state law. The disaster council is described as an advisory body that reviews plans and suggests policy for the board; staff said the council\u0000s work is predominantly planning‑focused rather than only post‑incident.

Board action: The board introduced the ordinance for first reading, waived additional reading and scheduled adoption for June 17, 2025. The motion carried 4–0.

Next steps: Staff said the ordinance will return for formal adoption on the scheduled date and the disaster council will continue to meet (staff noted the council met last June and has a meeting scheduled for July 9, 2025).","The Board introduced an ordinance to align the county disaster council and emergency proclamation rules with the California Emergency Services Act, extending renewal periods and updating disaster council membership and lines of succession; adoption was scheduled for June 17, 2025.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":99,"_43":100,"_45":101,"_47":102,"_49":103,"_51":104,"_53":105,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":106,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":107,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6746147,"Supervisors introduce ordinance to adopt state fire‑hazard severity maps for unincorporated areas",704,2461000,3165000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0&start=2461&end=3165","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781094-22b085c619494bb62d0b92616511fcd0/thumbnail_2461000.jpg","/articles/6746147/Humboldt-County/California/Supervisors-introduce-ordinance-to-adopt-state-firehazard-severity-maps-for-unincorporated-areas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746147-4b9dac3899dc8e2f11ee0fd23876a5f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139829&Signature=OehK2XvymurgVc6L5626FTjKNHK03znmGpmYWJCZO4skmGx-l4wPDCJvtVzUH3eaGN5K5U-F6L4zmb2vByWQ0t59gMIE8B29OYiXLCPAi8A0ii6pfHGdoDpcpZzb~jMwo5L8L9mjKY-8Y4ea0TVs4ymuE~a~saw21w30knHdEBcRco4IT2kT-xBXlQI0nm3fImpRuZPlDYR9LQNQfErAd93gK69ymGnkdV3zaUNcKBbqEnYBwyxj2lU1zCK8Qk3m32o9m8eszkM~tOqA9auQsFo1kj5EjB81zquCjmrleoShaiGZjhNFacdRUhn5IHTuEzfUhO9rCbuKJScX~yATVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Humboldt County planning staff presented the state Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for local responsibility areas and the Board of Supervisors voted to introduce an ordinance to adopt the state‑recommended zones and include the map in county fire regulations.

The staff presentation explained that the State Fire Marshal prepared the recommended maps under California Government Code Section 51178 and that the county has a statutory timeframe under California Government Code Section 51179 to adopt maps for Local Responsibility Areas. Planning staff noted the county may, at its discretion, adopt more severe designations in local responsibility areas but that further analysis would be required before expanding zones.

Why it matters: The map establishes fire hazard severity categories that influence building rules, defensible‑space guidance and fire‑safe regulations for properties in unincorporated Humboldt County. Staff said the state recommended no \"very high\" severity zones within the county’s unincorporated areas, although smaller pockets of high and moderate severity appear on the map.

Public input and chief’s comments: Several residents urged the board to mark repeatedly burned parcels more conservatively so future buyers can make informed choices; one commenter asked for focused attention on Friday Ridge Road and adjacent parcels. Humboldt County Chief McCray, appearing in the audience, told the board the mapping update and associated fire‑safe regulations are intended to protect citizens and first responders and recommended the board proceed with adoption.

Board action: The board moved to introduce the ordinance and waive reading, scheduling adoption for June 24, 2025. The motion carried 4–0.

Next steps: The county will post and return with the ordinance for formal adoption on the scheduled date; staff said they retain the option to research and propose any higher‑severity local designations in a later proceeding if warranted.","County planning staff presented the state‑recommended Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for local responsibility areas and the board voted to introduce an ordinance adopting the map (motion carried 4–0); adoption was set for June 24, 2025. Public commenters urged more conservative mapping in repeatedly burned parcels.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Humboldt County wins $43.5 million Prop 1 award to replace Sempervirens psychiatric facility

Public commenters challenge county child‑welfare expert appointment as board approves consent calendar

Board introduces amendment to county emergency code to align with state law

Supervisors introduce ordinance to adopt state fire‑hazard severity maps for unincorporated areas