The facilities that are being planned for El Dorado County (EDC) are for predominantly San Joaquin patients (per published news reports), or patients that can be transported in from anywhere in California.
Facility Should be in San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County is a large county, encompassing 1,500 square miles, with Stockton, Lodi, Tracy, Manteca, Escalon and many other towns. The management company for these facilities, Native Directions Inc, is based in Manteca, San Joaquin County and has decades of experience. Certainly, they know the area well, and have an established relationship with County, Police, Fire resources. San Joaquin county is a “participating county” for CCE state program. As we reviewed here, these facilities should be built close to the patients’ families, doctors and support networks.
El Dorado County Already Serving Native Population
When patients are transported to El Dorado County (EDC) to be treated, they will utilize EDC resources. If they need more medical care than these facilities can provide, where do they go? EDC hospitals, transported by EDC emergency service providers. When there is a security issue, then Police that are stationed in the EDC area are needed. When there is a fire, El Dorado Hills and/or Rescue fire departments will be responding. When the offspring that are placed in these facilities need schooling, they will utilize EDC public education resources.
We met with individuals in the EDC Health and Human Services Agency to ascertain the need for Native American Perinatal and Bridge Housing facilities in this county. While EDC certainly has areas of investment needed for county behavioral health, EDC has a very active Native American tribe, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, that has invested in significant behavioral and physical health infrastructure for Native American county residents. As noted by Congressman McClintock, this group opposes the proposed locations of these facilities (link). Wouldn’t Native Americans located in San Joaquin County appreciate the investment in long-term infrastructure and benefits of additional facilities in their county?
State Priority – Geographic Equity
Also consider the community value of these State investments. A key state priority of these funds is to help regions that have “unmet needs” for behavioral care facilities, and in this case Native American tribal facilities. El Dorado County is not a participating county in the program funding these facilities (link). San Joaquin County, which is the county where Native Directions has decades of experience, is a participating county, so we must presume they have unmet needs. Why aren’t these facilities being built in a county that has identified needs, and is closer to the population being served? Even better, why not use these funds to expand upon or build several smaller facilities within several different areas of need, that would offer continued care after treatment? Stated another way, the current plan spends millions on treatment facilities, in an area where they are not needed, and not $1 dollar goes to build or expand in local areas of need.
- Why wasn’t EDC involved in the planning of the multi-billion dollar state investment?
- Why wasn’t a suitable location in San Joaquin county found for these three facilities?
- Why wasn’t this program working with EDC organizations to appropriately plan and prepare for these developments?
- Do EDC agencies have appropriate resources to add these facilities to their support burden?
- Where do these 200+/year San Joaquin patients go when they are released from their 90-120 day program?
Rescue Deer Valley! 