L.A. County Invests $106 Million in New Mental Health Facility in Norwalk

Los Angeles County leaders have broken ground on a new mental health facility in Norwalk, California, transforming vacant state buildings at the Metropolitan State Hospital into a comprehensive care campus. The $106 million project, largely funded by voter-approved Proposition 1, aims to address the region’s overlapping mental health and homelessness crises by providing a continuum of care.

A New Vision for Mental Health Care

The “LA County Care Community” will repurpose six historic buildings, dating back to the 1920s, on a 13-acre portion of the Metropolitan State Hospital campus. The facility will offer 162 beds across three distinct levels of care: locked rehabilitation centers for young adults, interim housing, and permanent supportive housing. Specifically, the campus will include 32 beds for young adults in crisis, 70 interim housing beds, and 60 permanent supportive housing apartments. Fox LA

Funding and Proposition 1

The project is primarily funded by $65 million from Proposition 1, a 2024 ballot measure designed to finance behavioral health treatment and infrastructure. ABC7 Proposition 1 has raised billions of dollars for mental health programs and facilities throughout the state. An additional $41 million will arrive from Los Angeles County funds. Fox LA

Addressing a Critical Need

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn emphasized the importance of repurposing vacant buildings to address the urgent need for mental health services. “Voters want us to take vacant buildings and position them to good use,” Hahn stated. Fox LA

Dr. Lisa Wong, director of the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, believes the project will significantly improve access to care. After over 20 years working on Skid Row, she noted that facilities like this can transform the possibility of recovery into a reality. ABC7

History of Metropolitan State Hospital

The Metropolitan State Hospital, which opened in 1916, was once a self-contained facility with its own farm, providing treatment for individuals with mental illness. Over the decades, the hospital’s size decreased due to a larger deinstitutionalization movement and concerns about abuse in state psychiatric hospitals. Los Angeles Times The current expansion aims to address the county’s mental health and homelessness crisis with a more compassionate approach.

Timeline and Completion

The first housing units are expected to be completed in less than two years. ABC7

Key Takeaways

• A $106 million mental health facility is being built in Norwalk, California.
• The project is funded by $65 million from Proposition 1 and $41 million from Los Angeles County.
• The facility will provide 162 beds for various levels of mental health care, including youth, interim housing, and permanent supportive housing.
• The project repurposes vacant buildings at the Metropolitan State Hospital.