Nevada County Psychiatric Treatment Center

Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency is pleased to announce the conditional award of $23.7 million through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP). These funds will support the construction of a much-needed psychiatric treatment center in Nevada County, aimed at providing critical mental health services closer to home.  “This project reflects the Board of Supervisors commitment to enhancing behavioral health services for Nevada County residents.  We know that people in our community are sometimes impacted by mental health crises and we want to ensure that in a hard moment, people have access to the care they need and deserve,” states Heidi Hall, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. 

Project Overview

 Nevada County Behavioral Health (NCBH) is spearheading the development of a small, secure mental health facility on the Nevada County Eric Rood Government campus. The facility will provide two essential levels of care: 

• Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF): Designed for short-term treatment (typically 24 hours to 30 days) in a secure setting.
• Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC): Offers longer-term treatment, with stays ranging from several months to a year or more.

Currently, Nevada County lacks facilities offering these levels of care, meaning residents must seek treatment outside the county. This new center will ensure that those in need can receive timely, high-quality care locally. “When someone is experiencing a behavioral health crisis, it can be traumatic to be sent to a facility in an unknown location, far from the people who love you.  This facility will allow Nevada County residents to stay close to home and ensure that their care is connected to their ongoing resources and supports.” 

Operations

NCBH has selected Crestwood Behavioral Health through a rigorous Request for Proposal process to lead the design, building, and operation of the facility. With over 50 years of experience and 29 campuses across California, Crestwood brings deep expertise in behavioral health facility development and operation. 

The treatment center will be a locked inpatient setting, patients will not be able to come and go from the center. Patients will arrive in secure vehicles and will be discharged to a responsible party. The treatment center will be staffed 24 hours per day with medical and clinical staff. Programming at the treatment center will include medication management, therapeutic interventions, stabilization services and comprehensive discharge planning. 

Partnership and Community Support

The County has also conducted extensive outreach to ensure community input and support for the project. Organizations backing this initiative include the Nevada County Board of Supervisors, Nevada County Mental Health Advisory Board, Behavioral Health Consumer Advisory Group, Sierra Nevada Memorial and Tahoe Forest Hospitals, and the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), among others. 

Funding 

This project is made possible through funding from Proposition 1, passed by California voters in March 2024, which includes the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2024. Nevada County submitted a grant proposal in December 2024 to secure funding for this project. 

Next Steps

Through spring and summer 2025, NCBH will work with community partners and Crestwood to finalize the facility’s design, construction plans, and operational programming. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2026, with the goal of becoming operational within approximately 18 months. We  will continue to updated this page with project updates. 

Nevada County remains committed to expanding local mental health care infrastructure and providing essential services to those in need. We look forward to working with the community to bring this vision to life. 

Please email Nevada County Behavioral Health with any questions or concerns behavioral.health@nevadacountyca.gov

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