Title
Supervisor Parlin recommending the Board:
1) Consider documentation, staff information, and public comment regarding the proposed Native Directions/HomeCA Substance Use Disorder Treatment Centers;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached letter to Senator Alvarado-Gil, Assemblyman Patterson, and other interested parties, requesting assistance with interfacing with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and other pertinent agencies on how to prevent these proposed projects from negatively impacting our rural communities and/or relocating them to more suitable locations; and
3) Provide direction to staff to collaborate with affected departments, agencies, and organizations to research and determine a path forward to either fully mitigate the negative impacts to the County and our communities or relocate the facilities.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District IV office is receiving inquiries regarding a proposed 30-40 bed treatment center on two residential parcels off Deer Valley Road. While the County understands the concerns and opposition to a treatment center in a rural, residential 10-acre zoned neighborhood, the State Legislature undermined our local land use authority and increased mistrust of government when it passed Assembly Bill (AB) 172 (2021), which is the legislation that authorized the treatment centers. Here is a link to the legislation: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB172
Here are the excerpts from AB 172 where the State has taken away our local land use planning and is allowing large, commercial-type treatment centers in residential neighborhoods:
"SEC. 27.
Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 18999.97) is added to Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
CHAPTER 20. Community Care Expansion Program
18999.97. (a) The Community Care Expansion Program is hereby established. Under the program, qualified grantees shall administer...
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