- Video shows current facility offering services to youth in Kern
- The Kern county board of supervisors approved a $17 million grant from the Department of Health Care Services to fund a new facility for Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.
Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services plans to build a new facility thanks to a state grant approved by the Kern County board pf supervisors.
Experts report an increase in poor mental health in youth nationwide.
One of those experts, Robin Taylor with Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services sees that increase result in a daily need for behavioral health service locally.
“There’s lots of things going through for our youth, lots of anxiety, depression, so when there’s stressors — there’s environmental stressors. There’s stressors with school," Taylor explained. "This heightens all of our kids and our youth’s experiences."
About 2.7 million youth across the United States report coping with depression, and doctors diagnosed even more with anxiety.
Between the ages of 3 to 17 years old, 5.8 million youth struggle with anxiety according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Some of these issues stemming from added stress on our kids.
“When those things go on, they can go into a behavioral health crisis. We need a safe place for them to go when they need them,” Taylor said.
A $17 million grant from the Department of Health Care Services, and a more than $1 million match by the county will help fund that safe place to go.
“Currently, at our Mary K Shell building, we have only four crisis stabilization beds for youth." Taylor said. "This new building will increase our beds up to 16.”
The state awarded the grant in June 2023 and Kern BHRS received approval to use the funds in August, but after Alison Burrowes took over as director, Kern BHRS resubmitted the proposed resolution in November for board approval with Burrowes listed as the interim director.
Now in the contracting phase with the state, Taylor ultimately expects the new building to expand their services to a youth crisis stabilization unit and a family resource center.
“I think this just an exciting next step in Kern county’s investment in our community to make sure we’re expanding our crisis continuum to make sure we’re meeting the needs of our community,” Taylor said.
She doesn't expect to see the project completed until 2027.
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