News Summary
Residents of Santa Monica are expressing outrage over the planned opening of the Santa Monica Behavioral Health Wellness Center, a high-acuity mental health facility, without prior community input. Set to open soon, the facility will provide 49 beds, with 15 dedicated to local residents. City leaders, including Mayor Lana Negrete, raise concerns over safety and transparency while emphasizing the need to address untreated mental illness. As tensions rise, a public town hall meeting has been scheduled for community discussions.
Santa Monica residents are expressing outrage over the upcoming opening of a high-acuity mental health facility, the Santa Monica Behavioral Health Wellness Center, without prior community input. Located at 413 and 425 Ocean Avenue, the facility is scheduled to open in early November and will serve individuals with serious mental illness. It is being established through a partnership between St. Joseph Center and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) and is funded through California’s Behavioral Health Bridge Housing program.
Residents along Ocean Avenue initially believed that the building across from Palisades Park was undergoing simple renovations for a senior-living home. City leaders, including Mayor Lana Negrete, have voiced concerns about the lack of transparency that characterized the approval of the facility. Mayor Negrete stated she was only made aware of the project after county permits were filed, raising alarms about public safety and the potential for disruptions.
Notably, the facility will not be a locked environment, allowing residents to leave the premises freely. This aspect has raised existing safety concerns among residents, as they worry that individuals in crisis may wander into nearby Palisades Park, leading to disturbances similar to issues already witnessed in the area. Mayor Negrete has pointed out that there is an apprehension regarding residents who might “meander in the neighborhood” during psychotic breaks, further aggravating neighborhood safety issues.
The Santa Monica Behavioral Health Wellness Center is set to provide 49 beds, with 15 beds specifically reserved for Santa Monica residents. In response to community pushback, a public town hall meeting has been scheduled to allow for discussion of the facility prior to its opening. Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath has criticized DMH for not notifying the city about the facility in a timely manner, calling it unacceptable. She acknowledged that while there are serious bureaucratic challenges, it is crucial to address untreated mental illness in Santa Monica.
To mitigate safety concerns, the new facility will operate with a more robust staffing model than similar projects, featuring licensed clinicians and security personnel. St. Joseph Center has committed to providing 24-hour security and resident monitoring, ensuring the safety of both residents and the community. Two security guards will be stationed at a controlled entry point, and the residents will be subject to a curfew while adhering to a Good Neighbor Policy during their stay.
All residents must be referred through DMH and meet specific criteria to ensure that they can manage daily living activities independently. The project’s site control was established through a lease agreement with developer Leonid “Leo” Pustilnikov, who owns numerous properties in the area. However, community members have expressed frustration over the lack of transparency and input in the decision-making process regarding the facility’s location.
St. Joseph Center claims it has the necessary expertise and resources to operate the facility safely, with community safety remaining a top priority. Despite these reassurances, city officials have indicated their inability to halt or significantly alter a private project initiated through county and state oversight. Residents continue to report feelings of unsafety and have voiced their concerns regarding disturbances linked to mental health facilities in their vicinity.
As the opening date approaches, the tension between community members, city officials, and mental health service providers remains palpable. With efforts to foster open communication from the St. Joseph Center, the community awaits the town hall meeting to address ongoing concerns and discuss the future of mental health resources in Santa Monica.
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Additional Resources
- Fox LA: Santa Monica New Mental Health Facility Sparks Backlash
- Wikipedia: Mental Health
- SMDP: St. Joseph Center Details Screening Process for Ocean Avenue Mental Health Housing
- Google Search: Santa Monica mental health facility
- Surf Santa Monica: Housing for Mentally Ill Homeless Slated to Open
- Google Scholar: Mental Health Facilities Community Impact
- Westside Current: Inside the Ocean Avenue Mental Health Facility Approved Without Santa Monica’s Knowledge
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Mental Health Services
- Santa Monica Mirror: Residents Push Back on New Mental Health Facility Near Ocean Avenue Homes
- Google News: Santa Monica mental health facility news
Author: STAFF HERE BEVERLY HILLS WRITER
The Beverly Hills Staff Writer represents the experienced team at HEREBeverlyHills.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance, the Beverly Hills artSHOW, Concerts on Canon, and holiday celebrations throughout the city. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and Visit Beverly Hills, plus leading businesses in luxury fashion, hospitality, and entertainment that drive the local economy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERELosAngeles.com, HERESantaAna.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, and HERECostaMesa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Southern California's dynamic landscape.
