Health
Learn more about the Santa Clara County Health System
Behavioral Health
- Institute for Mental Disease (IMD) Beds - Cindy led the Board and the Administration to add 34 beds that provide longer intensive residential care to individuals with serious mental illness. These beds are expected to ensure adequate capacity for the most severely mentally ill individuals who require this level of care, and the increased capacity will also free up necessary beds in the County’s inpatient and emergency service areas.
- State of the Art Psychiatric Hospital for Adults and Youth on the Valley Medical Center campus. This approved project will provide psychiatric diagnosis and inpatient treatment for youth in the County for the first time, allowing the youth and their families to receive the care here close to their homes, schools and communities. The facility will also provide modern treatment and facilities for the adults who have until now been treated in a very old County building. The services will combine the simultaneous treatment of medical and psychiatric disorders per the insistence of Supervisor Chavez. The facility is expected to be completed and operating in 2024.
Jail Diversion
In 2017, Supervisor Chavez's efforts led to a major expansion of behavioral health services designed to reduce recidivism and keep people out of custody in the first place. This effort included increasing post-custody mental health and co-occurring outpatient services by 40 slots, adding 50 slots to the 120-day Intensive Outpatient Service Team to connect individuals released from custody with housing, services, and benefits with the support of peer mentors. It also included the establishment of a Permanent Supportive Housing program to house chronically homeless clients with serious mental illness.
Sobering Center and Behavioral Health Triage Center – pre-booking diversion
- Under the leadership of Supervisor Chavez, the County opened and expanded its first pre-booking diversion center now named the Mission Street Recovery Station. It is a 24/7 reliable, safe, and secure alternative to incarceration and unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalization for individuals under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or experiencing a mental health crisis. Individuals can sober up, be assessed on their mental health and/or substance use status and get linked to treatment services.
- The stay is voluntary, and individuals can stay up to 24-hours. Individuals can be referred by law enforcement and health professionals and by EMT’s through a pilot program.
Expanded NAMI Warmline/Help Desk
Supervisor Chavez championed funding to expand the availability and operating hours from 20 to 40 hour per week of the NAMI Warmline/Help Desk program to assist clients/consumers, and families of detainees in Santa Clara County jails. This also includes trained Family Member Partners to respond to calls on evenings and weekends, creating a 24/7 availability.
O’Connor Hospital and St. Louise Hospital
- Supervisor Chavez strongly supported purchasing the two facilities from Verity in bankruptcy, saving them from being lost permanently to the County and its residents.
- The preservation of the medical beds has ensured the County has adequate resources during an emergency as well as on an ongoing basis.
- The expansion of the County’s hospital system by adding two additional campuses, one in the southern end of the County, allows the County to provide comprehensive services to the uninsured, the underinsured, and to any residents requiring care. In addition, the purchase allows the County to expand specialty care, necessary skilled nursing, and other services as needed.