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Adventist Health says it will not move forward with Project Hope behavioral-health conversion
Summary
Adventist Health Rideout announced it will not move forward with Project Hope, a planned conversion of the former Fremont Hospital into a behavioral‑health and crisis‑continuation facility, after changes to grant restrictions and uncertainty about Medi‑Cal and Medicare funding.
Adventist Health Rideout announced it will not move forward with Project Hope, a planned conversion of the former Fremont Hospital into a behavioral‑health and crisis‑continuation facility, after changes to grant restrictions and uncertainty about Medi‑Cal and Medicare funding.
Chris Champlin, chief executive officer of Adventist Health Rideout, told the Yuba City Council that the decision followed ‘‘a host of factors’’ including proposals to reduce Medicaid (Medi‑Cal) and Medicare funding and progressively tighter grant restrictions that left the project financially unworkable. Champlin said a $36,000,000 grant to rehab the facility was part of the plan but that ‘‘the services that we were going to offer weren't penciling’’ under the new constraints.
The announcement matters because Project Hope had been pitched as a local source of behavioral‑health and crisis services, using the existing Fremont Hospital site. City officials and council members who had championed the plan said they would continue to discuss alternatives with Adventist Health.
Champlin described the decision as ‘‘very disappointing’’ after years of local advocacy and letters of support from elected officials. He told the council the tightening restrictions on the grant and the uncertainty over public‑payer reimbursement left the hospital system unable to accept the funds in ‘‘good faith.’’
Council members thanked Champlin for the effort to explore the project and said they hoped to continue dialogue. Mayor Dave Shaw and other council members noted prior local advocacy and said the city would remain engaged with Adventist and other providers to pursue behavioral‑health capacity in the region.
No council action or funding change was recorded at the meeting on Project Hope; Champlin framed his visit as an announcement and a request to maintain communication.
Looking ahead, Adventist Health and city leaders said they will keep talking about other possible ways to deliver behavioral‑health services locally, but Champlin gave no timetable or alternative site at the council meeting.
