Shasta Health and Human Services Director reverses course on True North project
Last month, HHSA director Christy Coleman took a strong stance against the proposed project which, if approved by the state, could bring much-needed mental health services to Shasta County. Today she announced that she’s decided to support it.
A behavioral health proposal that was submitted to the state last month in hopes of gaining $150 million in mental health funds has now obtained support from Health and Human Services Director Christy Coleman.
Coleman’s change of mind on the project was announced today by Arch Collaborative, the nonprofit that’s coordinated an application for a behavioral health campus that would be situated in Shasta and operated by privately-owned Signature Healthcare Services in order to serve the larger North State.
During a tense county board meeting called last month just days before the proposal for the project was due to the state, Coleman laid out her objections in a page-long letter claiming, without data or documentation, that such a facility wasn’t needed in Shasta and that it would create untenable costs for the county.
She was joined in opposition by Shasta County board chair Kevin Crye whose opposition letter broadly matched that of Coleman. Together the two won over Supervisors Chris Kelstrom and Corkey Harmon who agreed — against overwhelming public outcry — to issue a letter opposing the project instead of supporting it.
Despite that opposition, Arch Collaborative and Signature submitted their proposal anyway, as allowed by the state, amid rousing support from two other supervisors and the broader community. In the days following that submission, Tehama supervisors indicated their interest in hosting the facility should it face continued roadblocks in Shasta.
Last week, members of the Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board (MHADAB) publilcly discussed having sent a letter about the project to Coleman last month, advising that she support it. Coleman spoke during the meeting saying that she had unanswered questions pending and in response, Arch Collaborative CEO Kimberly Johnson rose to give public comment emphasizing her interest in meeting with Coleman and saying that she’d be happy to work through her concerns.
That information-sharing process appears to have changed Coleman’s mind about the project: a statement released by the HHSA director today said that she now realizes she was acting on only partial information when she opposed the project last month.
But over the past few weeks, Coleman explained in the press release, she and her team have “completed a deeper review of the financial models, payor mix, Medi-Cal impact, staffing implications, and regional commitments related to the campus.” Doing so, she said, has allowed HHSA to “realize the value of the project to the county and the community, including how it supports state and federal requirements.”
“True North’s proposal would keep clients in care closer to home,” Coleman explained, “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.”
The press release from Arch Collaborative today indicates that Supervisor Kelstrom has also had a change of heart and has submitted his own letter in support of the project. Kelstrom’s statement, shared by Arch Collaborative, noted that he feels there’s now a solid path forward. A text communication shared with Shasta Scout by Johnson indicates that public health official Dr. James Mu is now also supporting the project after withdrawing his support during the meeting last month. Nine individual deputy district attorneys have also submitted letters of support for the project this week, Johnson said.
All told, more than 50 letters of support have been submitted to the state on behalf of the True North project by organizations, agencies, and community leaders, Arch Collaborative says, noting that the campus plan was developed in response to hundreds of engagements held across the North State over the last year.
“Counties, hospitals, service providers, law enforcement, and families consistently identified the same urgent priorities,” Arch Collaborative spokesperson Sarah Peery explained, saying those include “local crisis stabilization, inpatient psychiatric treatment, youth services, and medically supported detox, all available close to home.”
Conspicuously absent in today’s press releases was the voice of county board chair Crye, who called a public meeting to oppose the project last month. In statements during that meeting he referred to the proposed True North facility as a moral evil, posing his opposition to the project as an effort to metaphorically slay his enemies and stop the facility from “infecting” Shasta County.
Today, Crye spoke briefly to Shasta Scout by phone explaining that he’s now supporting the project because “the state has capitulated” to the county’s demands. Asked why Coleman did not address any changes from the state in her press release today, Crye said “people need to do their homework” and noted that he’ll issue a press release with more details Monday.
The state is expected to announce awards in response to project proposals for Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) funds, in the spring. If awarded BHCIP funds, Signature health would receive $150 million to build the facility which would be paired with the organization’s own investment of $50 million.
True North is currently slated to be built in the City of Shasta Lake and will include a crisis stabilization unit with spaces for eight adults and four children, a social rehabilitation facility with 16 beds for short-term stays, 16 inpatient psychiatric beds, 16 secure youth residential beds and an intensive outpatient care program with room for twenty clients. The various services within the facility are designed to fit together in a way that reduces reliance on emergency rooms and the Shasta County Jail as a holding place for those facing acute mental health crises.
Arch Collaborative CEO Johnson said today that she and others in the collaboration are “grateful for the partnership shown by HHSA in recent weeks and remain committed to transparent, collaborative work that strengthens the behavioral health system for our region.”
She said her organization, along with Signature, will continue working closely with HHSA to ensure project readiness, financial safeguards, and a coordinated, community-centered implementation plan should the project be funded.
For those who continue to have questions, concerns, or thoughts to share on the project, Supervisor Matt Plummer is holding a town hall meeting early next month. The Dec. 8 meeting will run from 6-8 p.m. at Dignity Health Connected Living, located on Mercy Oaks Drive.
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Where do we begin on this absolute waste of time, resources and drama… First of all, I have never witnessed in my many years of county government such a debacle. A true leader does their homework BEFORE making a decision of this magnitude. I am speechless that Dr. Mu initially opposed it, and then flipped once he obviously realized what a poor decision he had made. Kelstrom is self explanatory, he is leaning into campaign mode and realized his vote was “unpopular.” How is that true leadership? His ambiguity is very evident and not the sign of a thoughtful and intelligent decision maker. He obviously is NOT in tune with the needs of Shasta County. And then we get to Crye, who as many of us know, puts his personal vendettas ahead of the people of Shasta County. When he put his finger into the wind, he discovered, ooops, that was a bad idea. And this “state has capitulated to county demands” is laughable. He is trying to make himself sound like the state is afraid of us. Not even close! This stands out as example of his poor leadership, always putting his personal opinion ahead of what is important to the quality of life for residents of Shasta County. Crye once again provides us with ample evidence he is unfit to lead and it is time to drain the swamp. In June it is imperative that we elect real and selfless leaders who know what’s best for Shasta County.
Agree 100%. Crye and Kelstrom need to be voted out next year, replaced by individuals who will put the interests of all county citizens first and foremost.
Mary nailed it! Although Matt Plummer is way overqualified, and Crye made sure his puppets, Kelstorm and Corky, are now in charge, the fact remains that all the county community leaders who reversed their original support for True North in favor of Crye on October 24 realized it was a mistake. The reason they backed out that day highlights what has been wrong with the leadership of the SCBOS for the last four years: an extreme partisan, hard-right MAGA mindset, conquer-and-divide power plays exemplified by Crye and Jones before him, and people like Dr. Mu and Director Coalman who capitulated and kissed Crye’s ring; (that is, until they, as medical professionals, snapped out of it) because True North is not only needed and supported by an overwhelming majority of the community but also logical, and shunning support is medical malpractice. MAGA, Jones, and Crye have thrown logic out the window and dismissed any effort at unity, supporting and employing election-liar-deniers, chemtrail conspiracy theories, Mr. Pillow nonsense, secession from the state pipe dreams, attacking our D.A., stripping employees and community volunteers of employment and community board memberships because they refuse to kiss Crye’s MAGA ring, and appointing Mr. YMCA Street as the Healthcare Czar, while trying to give Crye’s campaign manager a million dollars—resulting in millions of taxpayer dollars being flushed down the MAGA propaganda toilet. Like Crye’s outlandish Oct. 24 call from the pulpit of Joshua 10:16-43 of political violence (swords through the heads of opponents), logic, non-partisanship, and unity are discarded on his path to a my-way-or-the-highway style of unitary executive theory governance. And if Crye didn’t have medical problems, Corky and Kelstorm would have ensured he remained in that seat. Thank god there’s an election coming up! VOTE!
LOL to that comment. Where do you get your stat on “reality”? The vagueries of mental illness vs tweeker addiction is exploitee by big business. Everyone had a change of heart on this because big medical and union tapped alot of people on the shoulder and reminded them what they will be missing. It’s the same as the prison business model. Build it now, we’ll find you the clients.
Glad to hear that a valid long term commitment for providing services for a long standing need for the entire community was reconsidered and supported instead of shot head first and we will ask our questions later.
Will this facility treat anyone who shows up?? What is the criteria for this?
It’s the “imp” in imperical that drives the railroad county superior race, amen.
Actually, Crye HAS done research on his own, in the past. Let’s not forget his meeting with the great PillowMaster just weeks before the pillow master was hit with a multi-million judgement against him for his work against the voting machines that we had been using.
Seems to me Crye’s concerns was the financial liabilities left to Shasta County should True North, a for profit company, pull out.
Seems to me Crye made a uniformed decision hastily without all the facts. As usual, Crye is a day late and a dollar short.
Oh Nick. Just typing what Kevin tells you to. Trust me everybody is familiar with your role. No. You are completely wrong. I do remember chair Crye fast tracking 30 year contracts with the casino tho. More people are paying attention than you might think.
I think Kevin was against it because he represents a group of people who think encouraging tweekers to be bussed to our city is a bad idea. What he then was encouraged to realize is that the money it will bring in outweighs that principal. Money always wins.
Crye is wrong to believe all who suffer from mental illness are tweakers. He also ignored the fact that once treatment ends they are returned to county of origin at that county’s expense. The money aspect is to fill empty beds with patients from other counties to keep the facility financially viable. Local county residents will have priority admissions instead of being shipped to Santa Rosa, as is the case currently.
This so-called “the state has capitulated to my demands” reversal by his Kelstorm, Coalition, is nothing but an example of how our ignorant local far-right extremist MAGA group has been tRunping our county severely with costly social and economic consequences. With his True North stunt, Crye entered a realm of absurdity, invoking violent biblical fire and brimstone nonsense and acting as if he alone is the judge of what is good and evil for Shasta County! Of course, MAGA sock-puppet, COVID and vaccine conspiracy theorist Dr. Wu (who was unqualified when hired), and Coleman (barely qualified) followed Local MAGA Master Crye to oppose enormous and overwhelming community support for True North that any rational health professional would endorse. This is the same circus that has brought us Secessionist C. Street of YMCA fame, Secessionist P. Plumb of Reptilian Humans Roaming the Earth fame, 3 Time Loser L. Hobbs, who sued and lost, costing taxpayers over $1000,700 (nothing compared to the expense if her June Ballot Initiative passes), and “We’ll have her done in 3 hours” C. Curtis, known for his barechested voter conspiracy silliness. The good news is the STRONG blowback caused our “Health Professionals” to reject Crye’s tRumpism and support the good health policy of True North. And, better news yet is that in the general election in November 2026, as we did with P. Jones, we can fold up Crye’s tent and send the Crye Circus on down the road by voting for a Safe and Sane Republican for Shasta County Supervisor, District One!
Call me crazy, but it seems to me the tune time to do research and get questions answered is BEFORE emphatically opposing a project, not after. Conducting oneself in this backward manner is professional malfeasance and should be a firing offense. Stop the political stunts, Crye. And to Coleman, Kelstrom and Harmon: stop being Crye’s mouthpiece. Do your own thinking.
That is encouraging news.
Thank you for your change of heart. Mental health help is difficult to access in Shasta County. It is not well understood by many. From the point of view of a parent with a child needing mental health help, this is a godsend.
Personally, I think Coleman has recently realized that HHSA is practically broke. They have lost most of their long time, knowledgeable employees that kept their programs up to date. Contracts with the State have either been lost or not followed through on. This is so sad because those same long-time employees worked very hard to get those contracts and to maintain them. I am hopeful that the State will award us the contract, but, as always, there are no guarantees. I’m also wondering how vindictive Crye is going to be.
Glad Crye no longer finds the project evil. What was he thinking in saying that???
He must have had a private exorcism…
Indeed.
“Crye” and “thinking” don’t belong in the same sentence.
He believes all who suffer from mental health issues are drug addicts. Reality is some with mental health issues turn to drugs to deal with their illness. I hope he writes a sincere letter of apology to True North, apologizes publicly at the next board meeting and thinks twice before making knee-jerk decisions that hurt our county moving forward.
What “county demands” did the state capitulate on? Crye had plenty of time to study this project for months before the application deadline so his hastily called meeting to vote in opposition was an unforced error of judgement. Crye has difficulty with numbers, I hope we elect a numbers guy to replace him come June.
Brad: We will be contacting the state and putting in public records requests on Monday.
That’s wise. The change of heart was only because of pressure that Crye did not anticipate. He then allowed Coleman to go forward and approve it for now. He knows he can ax it later if he survives and stays in office – God forbid.
Well just because there is support does not mean it will come here. I am glad that more research was done and the unanswered questions have been answered rather than just taken on face value – which was millions of dollars being dangled in front of noses.
And we can see where this will lead …anything with that much money and that has to do with state funding takes time and I am sure more shall be revealed. Unfortunately it seems daily there is more news being released about the state of California’s financial crisis, arrests etc.
You’re right. Tehama County became very interested in inviting this project to their county since Crye sees this medical facility as being evil.