HHSA - Be Well - Fall 2025Expanding Infrastructure and Access to Behavioral Health Services - Planned ...

Our New Behavioral Health Treatment Center - Underway!

Expanding Infrastructure and Access to Behavioral Health Services - Planned Opening in Late 2026

Napa County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is excited and grateful to be moving forward with plans to open a new 21,000 square-foot Behavioral Health Treatment Center (BHTC), expanding care for mental health & substance use needs. Approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 3, this project will repurpose the former Probation Department Reentry Facility, at 2200 Napa Valley Highway, into a modern, community-based treatment facility.

Programs Offered at the BHTC

The BHTC will expand local capacity to address serious mental illness and substance use disorders by housing three essential programs:

• A Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Withdrawal Management program- Relocated from current operations on the grounds of Napa State Hospital
• A new Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC)- To lift the state mandate associated with Senate Bill (SB) 43
• A new Sobering Center- Offering short-term care for individuals in crisis, creating diversions from the emergency department and law enforcement

Location and Timeline

Located next to the new jail and near HHSA south campus, the site is ideal for coordinated care and service connections. Design and planning are underway, with construction expected to be completed by late-2026.

Supporting State Mandates & Reform

• The BHTC supports new state mandates like SB 43, which modernizes conservatorship laws by expanding definitions of "grave disability" to include serious substance use and co-occurring disorders
• Improves access to early intervention, screening, and referrals
• Aligns with California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal's (CalAIM) vision for enhanced coordinated and community-based care

This financial investment in infrastructure exceeds $24 million dollars and reflects a shared commitment to improving community well-being. This initiative directly aligns with HHSA's Strategic Plan goals to:

• Expand Access
• Improve Equity
• Build Stronger Partnerships
• Close Service Gaps

HHSA appreciates the commitment by many who supported this vision and to those who continue to work in partnership with us through to its opening slated for late 2026. This new center represents a forward-thinking investment that will serve our clients, families, and community for generations to come.

How Vaccination Rates Protect our Community

Maintaining high vaccination rates protects all of us from vaccine-preventable diseases. We learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that in our global society, viruses can easily be brought home through travel. This includes some of the most debilitating and deadly viruses, once considered eliminated from the US, like measles and polio.

Myths and misinformation about vaccines have caused confusion and hesitation and resulted in some communities not having high enough vaccination rates to keep viruses from spreading. This is what's happening with increasing measles outbreaks across many states. Measles outbreaks mostly affect unvaccinated individuals, which is why it is more important than ever to rely on trusted sources like your local public health officials.

What HHSA is doing in Napa County:

The HHSA Immunization Program, in alignment with Goal 1 of the 2024-2026 Strategic Plan works to promote trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines and offers:

• No-cost vaccines to eligible adults and children
• Continued outreach, offering flu, COVID-19, and routine vaccines at over 60 community events throughout Napa County in 2024
• Additional Outreach:
  • At senior centers and the Veteran's Home
  • Partnerships with local schools helping students to meet vaccination requirements for kindergarten and middle school

Vaccination is more than a personal choice; it's a collective responsibility. Vaccines are safe, thoroughly tested, and one of the most effective tools in keeping our seniors from getting sick, our kids healthy and in school, and our entire community safe.

Let's Protect Our Community One Vaccine at a Time.

Elevating Youth Voices in Foster Care

New Youth Partner role brings lived experience to support and advocacy

HHSA is proud to announce a new YOUTH PARTNER. This position is designed to ensure that young people who are in foster care have a real voice in shaping the programs and services that directly affect them.

What makes this role unique?

The Youth Partner is someone with lived experience in the child welfare system who draws on that experience to uplift and empower others. They work alongside social workers and other staff to make sure youth involved in child welfare are not only being heard but are actively involved in decisions about their own care and future. This aligns with HHSA's Strategic Plan Goal 5 Objective: Improve recruitment practices and workforce retention, including prioritizing diverse and representative staffing at all levels of the Agency.

What a Youth Partner does:

• Supports foster youth in speaking up about what they need and want in their own service plans
• Shares the voices and perspectives of young people with staff, leaders, and community partners
• Helps youth connect to services and support that fit their real-life needs, not just what's available

We're excited to welcome Angelica Garcia to this important role. Having experienced foster care herself, Angelica understands what it feels like to be on the other side of the system and the challenges youth face. Her background in early childhood education, caregiving, and administrative support make her a strong advocate for youth. Angelica is passionate about making sure young people feel safe, supported, and respected.

Angelica's WHY: "I do this work because I've been where they are, and I want every foster youth to know their story can lead to strength, hope, and a brighter future."

Angelica is onsite Monday through Friday and is available to support youth directly, whether it's helping to navigate services or simply having someone to talk to. This role is an important step toward building a system that's more inclusive and more connected to the real lives of the youth we serve.

Need Support?

If you are a youth involved in child welfare or know of a youth involved in child welfare (in or out of care), contact Angelica at 916-747-9945 for support or connection to services.

Partnering with Businesses to Promote Self-Sufficiency - Real Skills, Real Jobs

Napa County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) supports residents on their path to self-sufficiency by providing a wide range of career development services. The services below support individuals in receipt of CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits, in gaining the necessary skills to successfully obtain and maintain employment.

• Case Management
• Supportive Services
• One-on-One Career Counseling
• Life-Skills
• Career Development Workshops
• Access to Work-Based Learning Opportunities

One of the most valuable components of these programs is Subsidized Employment and Work-Based Learning. HHSA partners with local businesses to create on-the-job training opportunities for those who are seeking employment and need extra support. This often includes individuals reentering the workforce, changing careers, or needing extra support in overcoming employment barriers. On-the-job training (OJT) provides a fast track to employment, providing individuals an opportunity they may not have been afforded due to lack of work experience.

Support includes:

• Wage reimbursement for 3-6 months to employers to offset entry level training costs
• Job coaching and employer support to ensure a successful placement and long-term employment opportunity.
• Job related expenses like transportation and appropriate clothing for their placement

"At Winston's (C.U.P.) we believe everyone deserves a chance to succeed. Our on-the-job training program isn't just about learning food industry skills, it's about building confidence, finding purpose, and creating a place where people feel seen and valued. Watching someone grow from uncertain to unstoppable is the heart of why we do what we do. -Cassan Macaraig, Winston's C.U.P. Owner

Both employers and trainees benefit from ongoing coaching and job support, making this a true partnership between HHSA, the employer, and the trainee.

This year, HHSA expanded its Youth Internship Program by partnering with local restaurants to provide soft-skills training, resume development, and internships with local restaurants. These experiences proved to be rewarding for both the youth participants and the local businesses that participated.

One trainee noted… "When I first moved here for college, finding a job felt impossible. Through the program, I not only found a job at a local cafe but also gained confidence and stability. It has given me the chance to grow and feel like a member of my new community."

One youth stated… "Working through the ESE program has been an amazing job experience. I've learned how to stay organized during busy shifts, communicate with confidence, and be part of a real team. My direct mentors have played a huge role in guiding me, they've helped me understand how to take initiative and handle different situations at work. This opportunity has helped me grow a lot, and it's given me the confidence to keep aiming higher." -Raleigh, Youth Internship Participant

Protecting Napa County's Older Adults

In recognition of Elder Abuse Awareness Month, the Napa County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation on June 3rd highlighting the importance of community support and awareness in helping older adults in Napa County age safely with health and dignity.

The Napa County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) administers the Adult Protective Services (APS) program, which responds to reports of older adult abuse and neglect.

In 2024, APS received 2,012 reports, with financial abuse ranking as the second-most reported allegation (after self-neglect).

S.A.F.E. Event Promotes Financial Abuse Awareness

The work done at HHSA does not happen in a vacuum and is strengthened by collaboration with partners in our community. To raise awareness and strengthen protections against elder financial abuse, HHSA collaborated with Napa County District Attorney's Office, Napa County Commission on Aging, Monarch Justice Center, and Molly's Angels to host the second annual S.A.F.E. (Seniors Against Financial Exploitation) event on June 4 at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center.

The event included:

• Morning Session: Free community event featuring local financial abuse prevention professionals educating older adults, family members, and interested community members on how to prevent financial abuse, recognize the signs, and receive help if they or someone they know experiences financial abuse.
• Afternoon Session: A collaborative meeting among local financial abuse prevention professionals to improve coordination and to prevent and combat financial exploitation of older adults in Napa County.

Need help?

If you suspect abuse or neglect of an older or dependent adult in Napa County, please contact:

• Napa County Adult Protective Services at 707-253-4398
• Toll-free hotline: 888-619-6913

All reports are confidential.

For more information on HHSA Adult Protective Services, please visit our website:Adult Protective Services.

Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA)
2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Bldgs. A & B., Napa, CA 94558, 707-253-4279
Behavioral Health Services, Child Welfare Services, Comprehensive Services for Older Adults, Public Health Services, and Self Sufficiency Services

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