Butte County behavioral-health director: staffing, sobering center and bed expansions underway ahead of SB 43 implementation

Scott Kennelly, director of behavioral health, briefed the Board of Supervisors on progress toward implementing Senate Bill 43 and expanding local crisis and treatment capacity.

Kennelly said Butte County and most California counties opted to delay full SB 43 implementation until January 2026 to give time to build staffing and infrastructure. Since the board's last update, behavioral-health staff launched stakeholder meetings, hired clinical supervisors and addiction-specialty staff, and opened a 14‑bed sobering center that has steadily increased client volumes.

The department applied in December for Prop 1 Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program funds to open a 40‑bed locked mental-health rehabilitation center at a former behavioral-health campus in Cohasset. Kennelly said the county expects a funding decision in the coming months. He also noted agreements for mobile-crisis co-responses with Oroville Police Department and progress toward more board-and-care beds.

Kennelly described implementation steps—training, staffing, partnerships with local hospitals and providers—and said the county remains challenged by placements for medically complex patients and by recruiting for weekend and overnight crisis shifts. "Behavioral health is well underway on its implementation of Senate Bill 43," Kennelly said, adding the county expects to be ready by January 2026.

The board accepted the update for information and asked staff to continue pursuing grant and provider partnerships to expand local capacity for individuals with severe mental illness and co‑occurring substance use disorders.