The Monterey County Board of Supervisors shut down a proposal to create an inpatient mental health facility in Salinas. It was originally intended to cost $45 million, but that price skyrocketed to $172 million for construction alone. “We all understand we have to make tough budgetary decisions. These are not easy times. We have a lot of requests for needs in our county,” said Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo. “There’s obviously a very big need. I think we have to look for additional grant opportunities, but have them be smaller in scale. Not as big, not as expensive.”The health department said they understand and share the concern over cost. After the Tuesday night denial, they are planning to focus on bolstering existing resources. “There’s still work to be done, and there’s a lot of need in our community,” said the director of behavioral health, Melanie Rhodes. While there are resources for mental health in the county, there is no inpatient facility. For patients who do need support that outpatient services cannot provide, they will have to travel for it. “That level of car service will still be provided. It just won’t be provided here in our county,” said Rhodes. “We will continue to reassess and look for different opportunities to perhaps propose another project in the future.”In the meantime, there are existing resources for residents. You can call the Monterey County 24/7 Community Crisis Line: (866) 615-1060. You can also visit one of the county’s mental health clinics. Please see below for a list of addresses and phone numbers. You can access these clinics by calling ahead of time or walking in during business hours. Salinas Clinic: 1441 Constitution Blvd.Bldg. 400 Suite 200 (831) 755-5505Salinas Clinic: 30 S. Pearl St. (831 )796-1772Marina Clinic: 299 12th St. (831) 647-7652King City Clinic: 200 Broadway St.Suite 70 (831) 386-6868Soledad Clinic: 359 Gabilan Drive(831) 769-8740
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. —
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors shut down a proposal to create an inpatient mental health facility in Salinas.
It was originally intended to cost $45 million, but that price skyrocketed to $172 million for construction alone.
“We all understand we have to make tough budgetary decisions. These are not easy times. We have a lot of requests for needs in our county,” said Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo. “There’s obviously a very big need. I think we have to look for additional grant opportunities, but have them be smaller in scale. Not as big, not as expensive.”
The health department said they understand and share the concern over cost. After the Tuesday night denial, they are planning to focus on bolstering existing resources.
“There’s still work to be done, and there’s a lot of need in our community,” said the director of behavioral health, Melanie Rhodes.
While there are resources for mental health in the county, there is no inpatient facility. For patients who do need support that outpatient services cannot provide, they will have to travel for it.
“That level of car service will still be provided. It just won’t be provided here in our county,” said Rhodes. “We will continue to reassess and look for different opportunities to perhaps propose another project in the future.”
In the meantime, there are existing resources for residents.
You can call the Monterey County 24/7 Community Crisis Line: (866) 615-1060.
You can also visit one of the county’s mental health clinics.
Please see below for a list of addresses and phone numbers. You can access these clinics by calling ahead of time or walking in during business hours.
Salinas Clinic:
1441 Constitution Blvd.
Bldg. 400 Suite 200
(831) 755-5505
Salinas Clinic:
30 S. Pearl St.
(831 )796-1772
Marina Clinic:
299 12th St.
(831) 647-7652
King City Clinic:
200 Broadway St.
Suite 70
(831) 386-6868
Soledad Clinic:
359 Gabilan Drive
(831) 769-8740