| State Dept Funding | DHCS | CDSS | |
| Program Name | BHBH Program | BHCIP Program | CCE Program |
| Legislative Text | AB179 | WIC 5960 | AB172 |
| 3335 Deer Valley Ct | $11,175,505 | No CCE Funds Disclosed | |
| (now 2761 Sands Rd} | |||
| 3840 Deer Valley Ct | $5,000,000 (estimated) | $4,791,933 | |
| 966 Best Life Way | $2,852,182 | $4,740,700 | |
Community Care Expansion Program (CCE)
Bill AB 172 created the CCE program. CHAPTER 20 is the relevant chapter of Bill AB 172 defining the program.
Section 18999.97 establishes the program and defines legal rights. As part of the program definition the legislation “authorize” these program administrators to override any local county or city zoning permitted use. Note that this bill also provides immunity to the state from any liability resulting from implementation of this program.
“(l) Any project that receives funds pursuant to this section shall be deemed consistent and in conformity with any applicable local plan, standard, or requirement, and any applicable coastal plan, local or otherwise, shall be allowed as a permitted use, within the zone in which the structure is located, shall not be subject to a conditional use permit, discretionary permit, or any other discretionary reviews or approvals, and shall be deemed as a ministerial action under Section 15268 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.
(m) The state shall be immune from any liability resulting from the implementation of this chapter.”
You can find out more about each of these projects here:
Rescue Projects
Shingle Springs Projects
Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP)
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) BHCIP program was the source for funding for the facilities being planned for 3335 Deer Valley Ct (2761 Sands Rd) and 966 Best Life Way.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) was authorized through 2021 legislation to establish the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) with $2.2 billion to construct, acquire, and rehabilitate real estate assets or to invest in needed mobile crisis infrastructure to expand the community continuum of behavioral health treatment resources. DHCS is releasing BHCIP grant funds through six rounds that target various gaps in the state’s behavioral health facility infrastructure. For more information on BHCIP grant funding and awards, please visit the BHCIP website.
The BHCIP program was funded through a budget act, WIC 5960. Section 5960.3 (a) “authorizes” these program administrators to override any local county or city zoning permitted use. The project is also able to demonstrate that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply, as long as the project meets a number of conditions (5950.3 (b)), and “the lead agency for the project publicly concurs in that determination” (5950.3 (c)). In this case El Dorado County is the lead agency.
Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program (BHBH)
The documentation we have received to date implies that the facility being planned for 3840 Deer Valley Ct is funded through a grant from the DHCS BHBH program.
With the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program (link here), the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will provide a total of $1.5 billion in funding to county behavioral health agencies and Tribal entities to operate bridge housing settings to address the immediate housing needs of people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions, including serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder (SUD). The program, which was signed into law in September 2022 under Assembly Bill 179 (Ting, Chapter 249, Statutes of 2022), provides funding through June 30, 2027.
Native Directions received $5M award through Track 2 of the BHBH program. State documents imply these funds are for 3840 Deer Valley Court, but we do not have complete documentation. We have requested details on this award but have not received them yet. We will update this page once we have this information.
This can happen ANYWHERE in the State of California!
Clearly these state programs don’t want to be encumbered by local zoning or usage requirements. This means that this can happen anywhere in this state! Any developer can get a program approved through these programs, then place their large commercial medical facility right in the middle of a rural residential zoned neighborhood.
Rescue Deer Valley! 