Sacramento County Recognized for Expanding Youth Behavioral Health Support

During a recent celebratory site tour, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma recently recognized Sacramento County for expanding support for youth and families experiencing behavioral health crises, highlighting a major step forward in how families can access care when they need it most.

Sacramento County applied for and was awarded $2.95 million through the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) Investment in Mental Health Wellness Grant Program for Children and Youth to open a Family Respite Center providing short-term support for youth and families in crisis.

The Family Respite Center is estimated to respond to more than 5,000 crisis situations annually, serving approximately 80 families per month. The Family Respite Center will fill a critical gap in Sacramento County’s youth behavioral health system, offering a safe, supportive space where families can de-escalate during times of stress and prevent situations from escalating to emergency department visits or more intensive interventions.

The Family Respite Center is also expected to provide:

• Short-term respite services, typically lasting one to two hours to help stabilize stressful situations
• Access to trauma-informed, culturally and linguistically responsive staff
• Access to calming activities such as art, music, games and quiet spaces
• Mental health, substance use disorder and safety screenings, with referrals and linkages to appropriate community services
• Safety planning in a supportive environment
• Support for parents and caregivers, including connections to mental health services, employment resources and substance use treatment programs
• Coaching, counseling and mediation between family members when appropriate to support family stability following respite services

Through its partnership with HeartLand Child and Family Services, the Family Respite Center will also serve as a hub connecting families to a broader network of care, including flexible, community-based mental health services, housing support and wraparound programs. This approach ensures families receive not only immediate support, but ongoing services tailored to their needs.

The center will operate during extended hours throughout the week, with additional details to be shared as the center becomes fully operational.

The Family Respite Center is anticipated to begin in late spring or early summer. To learn more about projects happening within Sacramento County’s Behavioral Health Services Continuum of Care, visit our website.

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