An effort to bring state-funded behavioral health services to Shasta is suddenly facing county opposition
On Friday, Oct. 24, county supervisors will consider a letter opposing efforts to gain state funds to build a behavioral health facility in Shasta. A strongly-worded press release sent out today by the collaborative behind that effort accuses county Board Chair Kevin Crye of attempting to block the project.
A special county board meeting has been called for tomorrow, Oct. 24 at 9 a.m. It includes only a single topic: opposition to the efforts of a group seeking state funding to build a behavioral health facility in Shasta.
The letters of opposition on the board’s agenda include one from Shasta’s Health and Human Services Director Christy Coleman, who recently took on leadership of the agency, and a second from Board Chair Kevin Crye backing Coleman’s opposition.
A strongly worded press release from the collaborative group behind the project today calls out Crye as the force behind the opposition, saying he’s trying to “block” a “$200 million behavioral-health investment and 200 new health-care jobs.” In a brief comment to Shasta Scout by text today, Crye confirmed his opposition saying if the public attends Friday’s meeting they’ll see why he opposes it.
The project Crye and Coleman are opposing is coming from a collaboration of three entities: the nonprofit Arch Collaborative, the for-profit Signature Healthcare and an advisory group of health and community leaders known as SHARC — the Shasta Health Assessment and Redesign Collaborative.
The collaboration plans to submit a proposal later this month asking the state to award funds from round two of the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Bond Program (BHCIP). The money was set aside by Prop. 1, which was approved by California voters last year and is intended to meet critical gaps in behavioral health needs across the state.
A press release from the group sent out last month indicates that they are requesting capital funds for a behavioral health care campus that would be built in Shasta and serve the greater North State region. It would provide “rapid triage, crisis stabilization, detoxification, complex and urgent care beds for all ages” as well as inpatient psychiatric care.
The group has not shared with the public a location for the proposed project, the funding amount being requested or the number of beds it would serve. Funds from the state, if granted, would provide the majority of the capital costs needed for the project, which would be built and operated by Signature Health. The organization already operates a number of similar facilities across the state. Arch Collaborative is coordinating the grant application but will not be involved in facility management.
In contrast to this week’s opposition, a press release shared by the collaboration on Sept. 22 included a statement of support from Coleman who said at the time that the effort “brings together the strengths of healthcare, nonprofit, and government partners to address behavioral health infrastructure needs in Shasta County.”
Today, Coleman indicated to Shasta Scout that while she broadly supported the project in April since then she’s changed her mind. But an email shared with Shasta Scout by Arch Collaborative today contradicts Coleman’s claim, backing the collaboration’s assertion in today’s press release that she indicated support, with some associated concerns, this fall.
Coleman’s letter this week lays out some of those concerns, including a claim that support for the project would commit the county “provide and maintain support services at the proposed Campus for 30 years.” The press release from the collaborative today directly refutes that claim, saying a letter of support “carries no fiscal or contractual obligation.”
The HHSA director also used her letter to makes vague mention of “notable concerns regarding past contractual experiences with Arch Collaborative” without indicating what those concerns might be. Arch Collaborative was formed when two organizations that provide services to women and children at risk — One Safe Place and the Children’s Legacy Center (CLC) — came together under a shared structure last year.
The CLC has come under fire from Chriss Street, the former treasurer of Orange County who was recently hired by the county as a healthcare consultant at Crye’s request. Street’s multi-part series on the CLC was published on a Substack site associated with the partisan media group Mountain Top Media and uses anonymous sources to make unsubstantiated claims about the CLC.
In contrast to Coleman and Crye’s opposition, dozens of individuals have provided affirmations of support for the project. They include Sheriff Michael Johnson, Redding Police Chief Brian Barner, Anderson Police Chief Oliver Collins, Public Health official Dr. James Mu, District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett and Supervisor Matt Plummer.
Plummer responded to a request for comment today by encouraging community members to attend the meeting if they’re interested in the community’s public safety and care about issues like mental health and addiction. “I believe this will be a moment we look back on as a fork in the road that set the course for the future of the county,” Plummer said.
Mary Williams, Director of Regional Initiatives for Arch Collaborative — and the former acting CEO of Shasta County — said in a press release today that the project is community-driven and has been collaborative with HHSA.
“Now, new concerns from the County are being raised that we only learned about when the agenda was posted on Wednesday night,” Williams said. “It is unfortunate that we have not been invited to participate in the Board’s discussion and to address them directly. The community deserves a complete and accurate understanding of the project, and we remain ready to provide it.”
10.23.2025: we have updated the story to correct a reference to Street’s prior role and update wording related to the connection between the CLC and One Safe Place.
Do you have information or a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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Pretty chickenshit for Crye to pull this at the last second, when all kinds of folks have been working for this for at least a year. Chickenshit, but not surprising.
The only good thing about this disgusting move by Crye is that a lot of people are finally seeing how detrimental he is to our community and how everything is always just about his need to feed his ego. So excited there is an excellent candidate for D1! Go Kurt Swanson. Everyone donate today to stopping this madness.
Another embarrassing blunder by our Supe majority. Kelstrom claims he just has to follow staff recommendations when in the past he has totally ignored them. Corkey just sits there and votes in lockstep with Crye and Kelstrom. He even got Dr. Mu to cave and withdraw his support. Sad!
What I know:
For over 30 years this type of facility has been among the top 5 needs expressed by the county, health providers, law enforcement, hospitals, behavioral health experts, homeless advocates and the community at large. This was right there with more jail beds and wildfires. The most pressing health care, law enforcement and community issue for the last 3 decades are all tied to mental illness and addiction.
After 30 years there is something tangible and promising that can be done that WILL NOT eliminate the issues but goes much further than what the county has ever done in its history. It is first and goal with the ball on the 1 yard line. The fact the sponsoring Supervisor wanting to just now address concerns and instead of fact finding and exploring if concerns have merit or not, they are wanting to voice complete opposition to the project. Where were these concerns last month, 3 months ago, a year ago??? Why werent they being vetted and shared… The problem is not the terms and conditions. The problem is a Public Health Officer who is our representative at SHARC, the HHSA Director who is put in charge over mental health programs and the Board members who are assigned to the committees and workgroups that have been addressing this for the past 30 years. The current and previous HHSA Director`s have a substantial knowledge gap in Federal and State mental health services. I could argue they both also have a substantial knowledge gap in Federal and State funding of those services as evidenced by the state of the budget. The revolving door at the position & more specifically the lack of key expertise/background and experience for the A NUMBER ONE Shasta County Health Issue is a reflection of the BOS. The Health Officer to proclaim support and is now neutral because of being unaware of certain things and just now wanting to explore it a bit more to address any concerns speaks volumes to his performance as the County Health Officer. He is our county lead on SHARC, where this has been discussed, developed and pursued for a very long time. Ignorance is not a defense. Let’s see those meeting agenda`s for SHARC and let’s see who is actively participating on behalf of the County. Let’s see who is “calling it in” so to speak. The ineffectiveness and last-minute pleas of “we need more information” because we don’t have it from our own representatives put in place specifically to keep the County appraised and informed is incompetence plain and simple.
I would venture a guess that if it were to open a VERY LARGE amount of County behavioral health workers would seek employment at the center so they can pursue their career goals instead of being a part of the “official “Shasta County Mental Health” department. I say that because the staff who do the work care about the people and it is the politics and the failure of leadership that hold them back.
Tick tock #DING!!! Just another retired stupifyer grifter soon nuf pard’ner, Amen.
Hey Crye, True North isn’t another Shasta County regime handout; you have been asked to provide support for the project, not a financial contribution. While Crye feigns concern for Shasta County citizens who need substance abuse and acute psychiatric treatment, “Oh, my brother…” he shows who he really is, a far-right Trump sycophant using Shasta County as a tool to attack his political enemies with disdain for tens of thousands of his constituents. In reality, Crye’s leader is cutting off over 15 million people from health care and 67,000 people from Medicaid in Shasta County alone! The fact is, True North provides the hope of treatment and recovery, and 300 healthcare and auxiliary community jobs, while taking the burden of mental health treatment off our hospitals, first responders, and law enforcement, allowing them to focus on their primary responsibilities—protecting our community! Why did Crye persuade his hand-picked Coalman to change her mind? Because, sorry, Mr. Crye and Chriss Street, there’s no money or power trip in it for you, so to hell with providing badly needed medical services to citizens. True North isn’t one of Crye’s and his cronies’ unrealistic pipe dreams of them becoming the Czars of medical service in Shasta County, and out of malfeasance of office, he must try once again to be the monkey wrench to jam up yet another positive solution supported by most of the North State! True North isn’t one of Crye’s and his cronies’ unrealistic pipe dreams of becoming the Czar of medical service in Shasta County — shame on both of you. Show Street the highway and tell Crye bye-bye, vote him out!
Bay Area psychiatric hospital plagued by violence. California won’t renew license.
Mar 19, 2025 · The riot was not the first time — nor would it be the last — that the for-profit facility run by Signature Healthcare Services was overrun by dysfunction due to neglect by both its …
https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2025/california-psychiatric-hospitals-patients/
We need this facility in Shasta County!
This has Crye written all over it. It is supported by HHSA as recently as September and now it’s not? He thinks he runs the County and all its directors – well, maybe he does after all.
Yes, this certainly does have Mr. Crye written all over it. When he doesn’t get his way he bullies others to get it. That, I’m pretty sure, is what he did with Ms. Coleman. Sad
Since there’s no editing allowed, would you please correct my poor spelling. Voice recognition doesn’t quite get it, and neither do I apparently lol
The constant bull’s-eye put on KEVIN cry is now visible for All to see! It would appear this publication wears their hatred for this man on their sleeve.
Crye does this to himself.
He wants attention, and goes out of his way to get it. If it wasn’t reported here, then it would be reported somewhere else, and that is just how he likes it.
It is really kind of strange though, that you feel the need to go out of your way to stand up for the guy.
But is it really strange that MAGA blindly defends another creeper in power? Kinda just the way it is now.
You’re right Tanner. It’s just sad though.
It seems clear to me that Supervisor Crye just wants to continue his tirade about the Zogg fire funds rather than address the mental health needs of the North State. Pettiness is not leadership