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Shasta supervisors agree to match opioid-settlement funds for youth treatment center, add law‑enforcement, city approvals
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Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 to commit up to $1.92 million in opioid‑settlement funds as community match for Family Dynamics Resource Center’s proposed 60‑bed Pathways to Leadership youth behavioral health campus, contingent on Anderson City Council approval and law‑enforcement/probation support.
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 on March 24 to authorize using up to $1,920,506 in county opioid‑litigation settlement funds as match for Family Dynamics Resource Center’s Pathways to Leadership campus expansion, a proposed 60‑bed youth behavioral‑health facility in Anderson.
Dr. Sandra Wilson, representing Family Dynamics, told the board the project would provide 20 crisis‑residential beds, 30 adolescent substance‑use treatment beds and 10 stabilization/transitional units in a single, 25,000‑square‑foot facility she described as “a much needed project for our community.” She said the center would be the only inpatient adolescent treatment facility north of Sacramento and emphasized rapid access to care: “These projects save lives.”
Why it matters: County leaders said the project would expand local capacity for adolescent behavioral‑health and substance‑use treatment and use settlement dollars intended to address opioid harm. Supervisors who supported the funding said it could prevent youths from traveling out of county for care and provide long‑term community benefits; opponents warned about operational risks, financial resilience and public‑safety implications.
Public concerns and debate: Eight members of the public spoke during the applicant presentation, raising questions about transparency in the use of opioid funds, whether beds would be filled by Shasta County youth or by out‑of‑county placements, and a possible conflict tied to a proposed on‑site “ninja gym.” One commenter urged Supervisor Scribe to disclose any financial interest; Supervisor Scribe said he volunteered to advise the project team and offered his time pro bono.
Board action and conditions: The motion to approve the county commitment was made by Supervisor Scribe and seconded by Supervisor Plummer. Supervisors amended the approval to make the county’s commitment contingent on (a) the City of Anderson’s approval or modification of the project’s use permit and (b) letters of support from local law enforcement and the county probation chief; the motion also gave CEO Dave Rickert authority to finalize language in the county’s conditional letter of support so project deadlines could be met. The final roll call was four votes in favor and one opposed (Supervisor Long). Supervisor Long said he was concerned about the proposal’s lack of a locked facility, the county’s ability to control out‑of‑county placements and experience requirements for running a residential program.
Funding details: The board approved a budget amendment to increase appropriations and revenue in the opioid settlement budget by $1,920,506 and committed that amount as match funding, as presented in the agenda packet; specifics of contract terms and timing remain subject to the contingencies the board added.
What’s next: Project proponents said they would seek Anderson’s planning‑commission and city‑council approvals and complete pre‑construction environmental and safety surveys; county staff will hold the funds commitment contingent on the required city and law‑enforcement endorsements and finalize contract language through the CEO’s office.
