County of Santa Clara Aims to Expand Services Targeting Substance Use Crisis

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. – The County of Santa Clara aims to augment its Substance Use Treatment Services with additional inpatient, residential, and outpatient offerings through the Behavioral Health Services Department (BHSD) and Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) to serve thousands of the county’s most vulnerable residents each year.

Details on these expansions will be presented to the Board of Supervisors at its next meeting on November 5.

“Substance use disorders can be one of the biggest challenges that anyone, individuals, families or communities, can face and this expansion of services will help ease that burden for everyone,” said Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, president of the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors, who co-authored the January 2022 declaration of a public health crisis in mental health and substance use with Supervisor Otto Lee. “We have made some great inroads, and this latest round of expansion targets our vulnerable population specifically in need of substance use disorder services.”

The County is pursuing a goal to double the number of individuals receiving substance use treatment by 2030, from the 10,000 currently served annually to approximately 20,000.

"It’s crystal clear that there is an urgent need for additional substance use treatment services,” said Supervisor Lee. “This ambitious plan to get more services to those who will benefit from it, and in receiving help, will in turn benefit the whole community.”

Moving toward this goal, BHSD is partnering with SCVH to establish the new COMPassionate Addiction Services & Support (COMPASS) Clinic at Valley Health Center (VHC) Moorpark. SCVH will add eight positions to support this clinic as well as a new Inpatient Addiction Consult Service (IACS), both of which aim to provide continuous, patient-centered care from hospitalization to outpatient recovery. Functions include:

• Easy access: Same day walk-in and telehealth access, either through self-referral or health system referral. 
• Direct patient care: Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT), clinical triage, and outpatient withdrawal management. 
• Collaborative care: Coordination with SCVH primary care providers, emergency services, and inpatient services. 
• Support for prescribers: Assistance for prescribers in BHSD, SCVH, and community clinics to increase the use of Medications for Addiction Treatment. 

The COMPASS clinic and inpatient services are anticipated to serve approximately 1,500 patients annually, with a projected start date in Spring 2025.

“The opening of the new COMPASS clinic will be a terrific addition to the County’s capacity for the care of people with substance use disorders,” said Dr. Cheryl Ho, the County’s Substance Use Treatment Services Medical Director. “By offering drop-in access to medications for addiction treatment, medical evaluations for detox, and close coordination with both the hospital and the substance use treatment system – which includes withdrawal management and residential – we can ensure a holistic approach to addiction treatment and continued support after patients are discharged.”

The County is also adding or expanding other substance use treatment programs across Santa Clara County: 

• In the South County area, BHSD has recently executed a new contract with Recover Medical Group to provide outpatient substance use treatment services to approximately 600-700 individuals a year. 
• In addition, BHSD has recently executed a contract with Our Common Ground, Inc. for seven additional residential substance use treatment beds. These beds could potentially serve up to 80 additional clients each year. To date, the County has added/accessed an additional 194 mental health or substance use treatment beds since 2022, with another 227 beds in progress. The County’s ultimate goal is to add 530 beds (50% increase) to its system of care by 2030.  
• For expanded outreach for the unhoused population, the Valley Homeless Healthcare Program (VHHP) will expand its mobile team, and BHSD is piloting on-site substance use treatment services through County-contracted providers at homeless shelters, interim and permanent housing sites, re-entry centers, and similar facilities.  

“These programs expand and enhance the County’s network of behavioral health services for our most vulnerable residents,” said BHSD Director Sherri Terao. “We’re taking steps to ensure that adults and youth have access to the substance use treatment services they need, when they need it.” 

Paul E. Lorenz, CEO of Santa Clara Valley Health Care, said the programs will ease impacts on other county services. 

“These services will provide continuous care, reduce Emergency Department visits and jail encounters, and promote long-term recovery through comprehensive treatment options,” said Lorenz. “Increasing access will improve health outcomes and the quality of life for our patients.”

ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA

The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits. 

MEDIA CONTACTS: María Leticia Gómez / Eric Kurhi, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, 408-299-5119, [email protected]