Youth psychiatric crisis services approved in Stanislaus County. Security issues debated

Stanislaus County supervisors unanimously approved the expansion of a center near Turlock for foster youth who need the highest level of care.

The Hope Forward Campus has been a trouble spot for law enforcement calls, but supervisors were satisfied Tuesday evening that the expansion will include safety measures to minimize calls and ensure a safe environment for the center’s young residents. The 10.6-acre campus is on Youngstown Road between South Golden State Boulevard and Highway 99.

Aspiranet, a nonprofit social services agency, provides residential care at the center, along with behavioral health services, life training and other services for 16 males in foster care who range in age from 12 to 18.

With the new services, the Aspiranet center will include a psychiatric health facility, crisis stabilization and crisis residential services for minors. The 40,410 square feet of new facilities also will feature a multipurpose building for vocational and recreational activities and a visitation center for family members and guardians of the young residents.

Aspiranet is applying for state licensing to increase the center’s capacity from 16 to 31 foster care youth. The center serves as a resource for Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties and is licensed through the California Department of Social Services, the state Department of Health Care Services and Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.

In an unusual decision, the Board of Supervisors gave Sheriff Jeff Dirkse the authority to return the project to the Planning Commission for review if the expanded center causes impacts on the community.

Dirkse told supervisors there’s a definite need for the psychiatric services for youth, but he’s concerned about the large number of law enforcement calls generated by the campus in previous years.

In 2019, the Aspiranet center generated almost 200 calls for sheriff’s deputies, and 219 calls were recorded in 2020. That was 10 times higher than any other location in the county, the sheriff said.

The incidents ranged from assault with a deadly to young people leaving the center for illicit activity at the nearby rest stop off Highway 99. Deputies responded to one call in which a young person caused $20,000 in damage at the center.

Turlock police also received complaints about runaways going into town, where they stole items from stores and committed other violations. Dirkse was concerned the expansion would generate more calls for assistance.

Dirkse told supervisors he met with Aspiranet officials in early 2021 about the strain on resources, but setting up the meeting took some prodding. Aspiranet was able to mitigate many of the issues and the calls dropped to nine that year. The calls for assistance crept back to 35 in 2022 and 37 last year.

Turlock Police Chief Jason Hedden and the Merced County Sheriff’s Office supported giving Dirkse the ability to trigger a project review if necessary and ask the Planning Commission to add development standards. Turlock police and Merced deputies have responded with mutual aid to some incidents at the Aspiranet center.

County attorney asked for his opinion

County Counsel Thomas Boze said there was no legal basis for giving the authority to the sheriff and added the county planning director has the know-how for bringing land-use matters to the Planning Commission.

Supervisor Vito Chiesa agreed with keeping the authority with the planning director, who could work in consultation with the sheriff. But Chairman Mani Grewal and Supervisors Terry Withrow, Buck Condit and Channce Condit favored giving the authority to the planning director or the sheriff.

“I don’t think it’s setting a major precedent,” Withrow said.

John Mataka, a retired staff member for county BHRS, suggested that Aspirnet use private security guards to improve safety.

Vernon Brown, chief executive officer for Aspiranet, said the Turlock center was mostly serving youth in juvenile probation when the large number of incidents occurred. The young people now coming to the center are primarily referred by child welfare agencies.

Brown said the safety plan and improvements should mitigate the issues raised by law enforcement. The law enforcement officials have reached a temporary agreement with Aspiranet over safety measures at the Turlock campus so the expansion can be built.

The measures include a 10-foot-high wall around the campus, deescalation areas, increased staffing, and cameras and communication equipment for better monitoring.

Grant was one of the largest in state

In 2022, Aspiranet received a $33.4 million award through Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mental health plan for kids, which poured $480.5 million into projects to expand California’s behavioral health infrastructure and crisis services for youth.

The grant for Aspiranet was one of the largest awarded by the state because mental health facilities for youth don’t exist in the Northern San Joaquin Valley. Of the seven psychiatric health facilities that care for minors in California, the closest is in Fresno.

The crisis services will allow for housing foster youth with severe mental health symptoms at the Turlock center instead of in hotel rooms or having them wait in hospital emergency departments, a county staff report said.

Tony Vartan, the county’s BHRS director, has said the new resources will keep minors from being sent outside the county, far away from their families or guardians.

Aspiranet plans to build the expansion by July 2026 to meet funding deadlines.