Key Support Obtained for Proposed Behavioral Health Campus in Shasta County

Shasta County HHSA Director Christy Coleman Now Backs the Proposal

Approximately one month has passed since the October 24, 2025, Shasta County Board of Supervisors’ Meeting where Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director Christy Coleman gave a list of reasons during a presentation about why she was not willing, at that time, to support the Signature Healthcare Services application for BHCIP* funding to build the True North Behavioral Health Campus.  Also, at that meeting, Dr. James Mu, Shasta County’s Public Health Officer, stated that he was suspending his support for the project until he had time to review additional information he needed to make a final decision.  Based on Coleman’s assessment of the possible cost burden to the County, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to provide a letter opposing the project, with Chair Kevin Crye, Supervisors Corkey Harmon and Chris Kelstrom voting to oppose the project and Supervisors Allen Long and Matt Plummer voting to not oppose the project. 

A Press Release was issued on November 26^th by HHSA that indicates Director Coleman and her team have been able to “complete a deeper review of the financial models, payor mix, Medi-Cal impact, staffing implications, and regional commitments related to the campus. Having now received the additional information needed, I [Coleman] am confident this project aligns with the best interests of Shasta County and our broader region. I have issued a formal Letter of Support for the True North Behavioral Health Campus to Signature Healthcare, as part of the grant application process.” 

ARCH Collaborative**, who has been assisting with the application process also issued a press release indicating that “Between now and the spring of 2026 award announcement, ARCH Collaborative and Signature Healthcare will continue working closing with HHSA to ensure project readiness, financial safeguards, and a coordinated, community-centered implementation plan should the project be funded.”   This would be a $200 million campus, with $150 million coming from round two of the BHCIP funding and $50 million coming from Signature Healthcare Services, LLC, one of the largest privately-held behavioral health hospital companies in the United States. Signature Healthcare Services is based in Corona, California, and operates 19 behavioral and medical/surgical behavioral health hospitals across five states. 

The proposed True North Behavioral Health Campus will include:

• Crisis Stabilization Units: 8 chairs (spaces) for adults, 4 for children/youth (<23 hours)

• Social Rehabilitation Facility:  16 beds for short-term stays (social detox and return-to-county planning)

• Inpatient Psychiatric Units:  Three 16-bed adult psychiatric hospital facilities

• High-Acuity Youth Residential Unit:  16 secured treatment beds

• Partial Hospitalization / Intensive Outpatient Program:  20 chairs (5 hours/day, 5 days/week)

No information has been given about the location of the facility to be built, other than it would be located in the City of Shasta Lake.

Supervisor Matt Plummer has posted on his Facebook account that he is hosting a Town Hall on the True North Campus Project on Monday, December 8^th, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Dignity Health Connected Living, 200 Mercy Oaks Dr., Redding, CA  96003.

Supervisor Chris Kelstrom was named in ARCH Collaborative’s press release as now supporting the project, as is Dr. James Mu.

Shasta Unfiltered reached out to Chair Kevin Crye for comment.  He stated he will be issuing a press release on Monday, December 1^st.

The Signature Healthcare Services grant application was submitted to the California Department of Health Care Services in October 2025 and letters of support could be submitted through November 28, 2025. 

As stated in the HHSA Press Release, “True North’s proposal would keep clients in care closer to home, rather than placing them far from their support systems.  This would offer a meaningful shift for our residents and for our system of care.  In addition, it would allow Shasta County to leverage federal match dollars for behavioral health care.”

*BHCIP funds refer to grants awarded through California's Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), a state initiative administered by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Launched in 2021 via budget legislation (AB 128, SB 144), the program provides competitive grants to address critical shortages in behavioral health facilities, including mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment infrastructure. These funds support the construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, and expansion of properties to create a full continuum of care—from crisis stabilization and residential treatment to supportive housing and mobile crisis services—prioritizing under-served populations like those experiencing homelessness, Medi-Cal beneficiaries, youth, veterans, and Tribal communities.

** ARCH Collaborative is a fictitious business name (DBA) of Children's Legacy Center.