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Board extends Plumlee's Board and Care agreement to 2027 as county seeks more local residential placements
Summary
Kings County Behavioral Health won board approval to extend its agreement with Plumlee's Board and Care through June 30, 2027. County officials said the Visalia facility provides 15 beds and served 20 Kings County residents in FY 2023–24, while supervisors pressed staff to recruit more local boarding care capacity.
Kings County supervisors on June 10 approved an amendment to extend the county’s agreement with Plumlee’s Board and Care in Visalia for two years, running through June 30, 2027, Behavioral Health staff told the board.
Polo Ortiz, deputy director of Kings County Behavioral Health, described Plumlee’s as a 15-bed adult residential facility licensed under California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 6, that operates 24 hours a day to serve adults with severe or persistent mental illness. Ortiz said Plumlee’s collaborated with county providers and in fiscal year 2023–24 provided services to 20 Kings County residents, producing total billing of $717,859.
"Plumlee's includes 15 residential beds and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, serving adults experiencing severe or persistent mental illness," Ortiz said.
Supervisors asked why the county does not have more local board-and-care options. Chrissy Lepke, assistant director of Kings County Behavioral Health, responded that the county has a local facility, Anchors Boarding Care, but it contains just 10 beds and is therefore limited. Lepke said the department uses several out-of-county vendors and would like to incentivize local nonprofit or for‑profit providers to open additional adult residential facilities.
"We would love to have more board and cares here in the community," Lepke said, noting the department is exploring state B‑CHIP (Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program) round‑2 funding and intends to coordinate with county administration and counsel to consider how to entice new providers.
Board members pressed for local investment so more placements and associated spending stay in Kings County. Ortiz and Lepke said Behavioral Health will continue outreach to potential operators and consider incentive strategies tied to available state funding.
The board approved the extension; the contract amendment does not increase county general fund costs, Ortiz said.
