Contra Costa County broke ground Wednesday on its first mental health rehabilitation center, a 45-bed facility designed to provide long-term treatment for residents with serious mental illness closer to home.
The Contra Costa Recovery Center will be built in Richmond by renovating an existing county-owned building on the Brookside Shelter campus. In a statement, county officials said the facility will offer longer-term treatment and stabilization services for adults recovering from severe psychiatric conditions.
The center is expected to open in June 2027. Currently, Contra Costa County residents who need this level of care are placed in facilities outside the county.
“This project represents a significant step forward in strengthening our local behavioral health system and ensuring residents can receive specialized care closer to home,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, CEO of Contra Costa Health.
Mental health rehabilitation centers provide sub-acute treatment for people who require extended stabilization after stays in acute care hospitals, state hospitals or detention facilities. The centers are secure, locked facilities for clients who need intensive support during recovery.
The roughly 20,000-square-foot facility will undergo a full renovation and include client care suites, sleeping rooms, medical and wellness spaces, and an outdoor recreation area. County officials said the center will provide care and rehabilitation services around the clock.
The project is being funded through an $18.6 million grant from the California Department of Health Care Services’ Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. Contra Costa County met the required local match through equity in the property and agreed to operate the facility for behavioral health services for at least 30 years, county officials said.
“This investment reflects Contra Costa County’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to compassionate, high-quality behavioral health care,” said Supervisor John Gioia, whose district includes the project site. “By creating local treatment capacity, we can better support some of our most vulnerable residents and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and the broader community.”
The Recovery Center is one of four state-funded behavioral health projects planned in Contra Costa County. More facilities are proposed in Pleasant Hill, Pittsburg and Antioch as part of a broader effort to expand local treatment capacity for people experiencing mental illness or substance use disorders, according to county officials.
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