In a significant move against California’s blistering mental health crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom put pen to paper on SB 1336, a bill set to transform Norwalk’s unused state property into a mental healthcare lifeline. According to a bulletin from Los Angeles County, this newly-signed legislation opens the door for Los Angeles County to develop a mental healthcare village using vacant buildings on the Metropolitan State Hospital campus, aiming to offer housing and treatment for individuals grappling with mental health challenges.
Underscoring the urgent need for such facilities, Supervisor Janice Hahn stated, “We are battling a mental health crisis, and we desperately need places where we can treat and house people who are struggling,” and praised the governor for enabling the hard work of converting state property into the Los Angeles County Care Community, a place for “humane, professional treatment.” Echoing Hahn’s sentiments, Senator Bob Archuleta acknowledged the dire need for resources for the homeless and mentally ill, crediting both Hahn and the LA County Department of Mental Health for their relentless pursuit of bringing this bill to fruition alongside him with a collective purpose aimed at an urgent public need. They strived to address the growing need for mental health services.
The bill authorizes leasing seven unused buildings at the Metropolitan State Hospital to a nonprofit or local government that would then provide essential services to those in need. The hospital, currently specializing in psychiatric care with an 826-bed capacity, is poised to see these buildings repurposed as a part of the Los Angeles County Care Community, as the County’s bulletin detailed…