Supervisors approve application to seek up to $22 million for residential behavioral-health beds, ask staff for operational analysis

San Luis Obispo County supervisors on Tuesday authorized staff to apply for a grant of up to $22,000,000 to expand residential behavioral-health treatment capacity, while directing county behavioral-health staff to produce an operational and fiscal analysis before the board considers accepting any award.

Supervisor Gibson framed the request as “a huge potential asset for our efforts in behavioral health” but urged more detail before committing to long-term operational obligations. "As I understand, the decisions on these awards are going to be made in May," Gibson said, asking the health agency and the administrative office to present a report on costs, staffing and alignment with the county’s behavioral health strategic plan by January.

Health Agency Director Nick Drewes said staff have already developed significant analysis supporting the application and that his team “see no complications in providing an analysis to you both in terms of cost, in terms of staffing, and also how it fits in with our behavioral health strategic plan by January.” Dr. Star Graber confirmed the application deadline is Dec. 13 and that the board would have another opportunity to accept an award in May.

Several supervisors voiced both enthusiasm and caution. One asked whether a 30-year lease or long-term commitment could obligate the county to operating subsidies; others supported authorizing the county to apply now while the board reserves the right to accept or reject any eventual award based on the forthcoming operational analysis.

Action taken: the consent agenda motion was amended to include the direction requested by supervisors and the board approved the consent agenda with that direction.

Next steps: staff will prepare the January analysis to inform any decision about accepting and implementing grant awards in the spring.