Subcommittee Debates Timelines to Move Residents Out of Porterville and Canyon Springs

The subcommittee also considered a DDS package to set clearer timelines and transition requirements for people living in state‑operated facilities, principally Porterville Developmental Center and Canyon Springs. Christine Bagley described a policy that would phase residents into community settings with an initial 24‑month transition target (with a 12‑month provisional placement, a 60‑day extension mechanism, and a right of return if community placements fail). DDS said the change would be implemented over a multi‑year runway with an implementation plan, legislative briefings and public reporting.

Supporters — including the State Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights California — argued deadlines spur development of community capacity and cited a hand count by the state council showing 11 people returning to institutions out of 585 who left since 2015 (a 1.9% return rate). "When there's a deadline, the state has proven it can step up to meet those deadlines," the director said; advocates pointed to prior closures where deadlines drove resource development.

Prosecutors, including Taryn Hunter of the Napa County District Attorney's Office and representatives of other county prosecutors, warned that a categorical 24‑month cap for all civil commitments could pose public safety risks for a small subset of individuals who have ongoing dangerousness and recommended careful case‑by‑case review and available safety valves. Committee members pressed DDS about whether court processes, placement shortages, stigma and judicial practices explain why some people remain in institutions long periods and asked DDS to supply further data and an implementation readiness plan. No votes were taken.