LANCASTER — Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger officiated Thursday at the dedication of three new county-led mental health and crisis-care facilities in the Antelope Valley — the largest local behavioral-health investment in the area’s history.
The ribbon-cutting marks the completion of a multi-year effort to build the community’s first fully integrated continuum of mental-health treatment for children, youth and adults.
“These new facilities are a game-changer for the Antelope Valley,” Barger said. “For the first time, children, families and adults experiencing a mental-health crisis won’t have to leave their community to find help.
“This campus provides meaningful alternatives to unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and it will help ensure that individuals struggling with mental illness are stabilized, supported and kept off the streets.”
The newly opened campus includes the Adult Crisis Residential Treatment Program, the Children’s and Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit, and a new Mental Health Hub for children currently located nearby at the High Desert Regional Health Center.
The Adult Crisis Residential Treatment Program introduces the region’s first local alternative to mental-health hospitalization, offering 16 beds for individuals who need more than a few hours of stabilization but not an inpatient stay.
“And we were on time, and under budget,” Barger said, noting ground broke on the newest buildout of the facility that started less than a year ago.
Operations at the children’s facility are set to commence in January. Licenses for the other two parts of the facility must be approved before service to the public commences, with that time to be set in 2026.
The county mental health hub is on the same property as the Los Angeles County Healthcare Center at 415 East Ave. I.
Together, the facilities represent a $43 million investment supported by nearly $39.7 million from the State’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program and $3.3 million from Mental Health Services Act Capital Facilities funds.
Dr. Lisa Wong, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, also spoke at the ceremony and underscored the significance of the new facilities.
“What we are opening today is person-centered care on one unified campus,” Wong said. “This is a compassionate, modern continuum of care designed to foster recovery, stability, and renewed hope. Every person deserves dignity, safety and access to the services that help them heal. That is exactly what this campus delivers.”
Thursday’s ribbon-cutting also included a guided tour of the facilities, where Barger and attending stakeholders viewed the youth-friendly crisis stabilization areas and the therapeutic residential environment designed for adults needing short-term intensive care.
According to county public works officials, the project was completed 20% under budget, and 45% of the construction workforce consisted of local workers. This project was a significant boost for the regional economy.
The Mental Health Hub will expand annual youth services from approximately 850 clients to more than 2,650, a greater than 400% increase in capacity.
The new Crisis Stabilization Unit will provide 24/7 care for children ages 3 to 12, allowing families to access developmentally appropriate treatment close to home rather than traveling more than 50 miles.
While touring the new facilities, Barger reflected on the design elements she viewed while touring the new spaces.
“Walking through the buildings this morning, I was struck by how bright and filled with natural light they are,” Barger said. “That light is both architectural and symbolic. From top to bottom, this new campus is about supporting mental wellness and creating warm, welcoming environments for the people who will rely on these services.”
The county has also integrated arts and healing throughout the new campus. Visitors will encounter 24 onsite artworks created by eight Los Angeles-based artists, curated to enhance the therapeutic experience and support a sense of connection and calm.