Letter to CDHCS and CDSS
January 29, 2024
Ms. Michelle Baass
Director
California Department of Health Care Services
Mail Stop 4100
P.O. Box 997413
Sacramento, CA 95899-7413
Ms. Kim Johnson
Director
California Department of Social Services
744 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Questions and Concerns related to California Department of Healthcare Services and the California Department of Social Services funded substance abuse treatment center projects proposed by HomeCA and Native Directions Inc.
Dear Director Baass and Director Johnson,
I am writing to request your urgent assistance in responding to questions and concerns from county leaders and constituents in my district regarding the proposed development of three commercial substance abuse treatment centers. These proposed developments, funded by the California Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), are on residentially zoned parcels in rural areas of El Dorado County. The proposed 30-40 bed commercially operated substance abuse treatment centers that would serve Tribal members in San Joaquin County are in process to be developed by HomeCA and subsequently operated by Native Directions Inc. with grant funding and direct oversight from the DHCS Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) and CDSS Community Care Expansion Program (CEP). While San Joaquin County participates in CEP, El Dorado County, where these proposed facilities would be located, is not a CEP participant.
To achieve the desired outcomes of CEP and BHCIP projects and ensure the proper stewardship of funding resources, it is imperative that DHCS and CDSS implement appropriate measures to guarantee that community impacts are fully understood and mitigated before groundbreaking begins in March 2024. Specific to the proposed projects in the Shingle Springs and Rescue communities of El Dorado County, there are a variety of community impact concerns and questions related to the HomeCA/Native Directions Inc.’s developments that are funded by a combined total of nearly $10 million in state CEP and BHCIP funding.
Enclosed, I am including correspondence that I have received from the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and community members, detailing specific concerns such as road impacts, water availability, wildfire risk, emergency services burdens, and lack of availability of community supportive services. To date, impacted neighboring residents and the County have not had an opportunity to discuss their questions and concerns about potential negative impacts with DHCS, CDSS, HomeCA, and Native Directions Inc.
As the Chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, I look forward to collaborating with you to ensure that BHCIP and CEP resources are implemented with the highest regard for community and program participant safety, transparency, impact and location suitability. I am requesting that you review the enclosed information and work with my office to respond to questions and concerns outlined.
Sincerely,
Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, 4th District
Cc: Governor Gavin Newsom