Lighthouse is a residential mental health treatment facility operated by Yuba City-based Willow Glen Care Center. |Photo: Ryan Burns
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Rex Bourne’s cell phone is flooded with calls.
The Humboldt County First District supervisor described the amount as “an outrageous amount.” The calls and texts started increasing on New Year’s Eve and haven’t stopped since then, he said. outpost (on the phone) This morning.
The cause of this deluge appears to be a flyer distributed to residents of the Ridgewood Heights neighborhood south of Eureka. It was headlined “Neighbor Alert!” The flyer, printed in all caps on hot pink office paper, sounds the alarm about a residential mental health treatment facility that recently took over a former nursing home on Berry Lane, about three blocks from Ridgewood Elementary School.
The treatment facility is currently open and six patients will be admitted soon, said Jack Breazeale, deputy director of the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) behavioral health division. The facility, named Lighthouse, is owned and operated by a nonprofit organization based in Yuba City. Willow Glen Care Center.
“This is a 16-bed facility, and DHHS Behavioral Health has contracts with all of them,” Breazeale said in a statement. outpost. He explained that these beds are primarily reserved for people under county conservatorship under California code. Lanterman Petrice Short Act (1967) permit involuntary psychiatric treatment in very limited circumstances. and who ”They have shown some stability and compliance with medication and other mental health services,” Breazeal said.
However, leaflets distributed to nearby residents suggest that these new residents are inherently dangerous and that it is not safe for children to play or walk to and from school alone. are. (The flyer contains incorrect information about the new facility, for example, exaggerating the number of patients it will serve while underestimating its distance from Ridgewood Elementary School.) (I also pointed out that this is wrong.)
Vaughn, like many people who have called in recent days, said he didn’t know the facility had opened and said he spent New Year’s Day and much of this morning chasing down information from people at DHHS. Ta. He said he was annoyed at being caught off guard.
“I’m pretty frustrated, because I usually do things pretty well,” he said, later adding, “I’m just as pissed at myself as I am at the whole situation.”
Ridgewood Heights resident Robin Stockton, the woman who created the flyer, is also pretty frustrated. In a phone call, she accused local officials of lying about the new facility and hiding the truth. She said she handed out 200 flyers and spoke to many neighbors who shared her concerns.
“It’s just a recipe for disaster,” she said. “Eventually, someone will do something.” [harmful]”
Stockton said her concerns stem from her own experiences with people who suffer from mental health issues, including her son-in-law. She also ran a care home for people with severe mental health issues in Marin for years, she said, and after being discharged from Sempervirens, the county’s inpatient mental health facility, she started working with local patients. She is worried that her child will stop taking her medication.
Messages sent to outpost She wrote via Facebook last week: “This property does not belong in this community. Not only does it expose us to violence, robbery, theft and vandalism, it also reduces the value of our homes. [sic]”
“Other people are worried too,” she said today. “People are paying high money to buy homes here and this will affect their property values. [Lighthouse clients] I’ll be wandering around the neighborhood. [Facility managers] You can’t drug them. I can’t keep them at home. I know the facts. ”
Stockton said she got most of her information about the lighthouse from third parties, from neighbors who spoke to workers at the site who weren’t authorized to talk about it.
Breazeale said patients treated at the Lighthouse are “known to the county, are receiving a higher level of care, including a locked facility, and have shown improvement prior to their arrival.” The residence is monitored by three staff members during the day and two staff members at night. Those who violate the rules, such as wandering without consent or notification to staff, will need to be transferred to a higher level of care. ”
A DHHS spokesperson said no public notice was needed for the Lighthouse because mental health treatment facilities are permitted under current zoning. And Breazeale argued that the location would be beneficial to patients.
“Facilities like this exist to allow people to live in their own communities, near their families, in a place that suits them,” he said.
Meanwhile, in response to all the calls and texts he has been receiving, Vaughn has arranged for a community information session to be held in the multipurpose room at Cutten Elementary School (4182 Walnut Drive) on Monday, Jan. 6, at 6 p.m. he shared My flyer posted on Facebook. County officials will be on hand to discuss concerns and answer questions.
of outpost I also contacted Willow Glen Care Center and spoke briefly with program director David Gilbert. Gilbert said in a follow-up email that his organization hosted an open house at the Lighthouse on Dec. 18. There will be many neighbors who were unable to attend and may have questions. ”
To answer some of these questions and dispel some of the misinformation being spread, Gilbert forwarded a copy of a letter he wrote to neighbors of the newly opened facility. Fully reproduced below.
New care home in town
Hello, neighbors.
My name is David Gilbert and I am the manager of The Lighthouse, a new 16 bed care home here in Eureka. Prior to our move to 6253 Berry Lane, this building was home to another care home (Cutten Care Home) for the past 30+ years. When the owner/operator of that facility decided to retire, our non-profit organization, Willow Glen Care Center, began the move-in process. Like Katten Care Home, Lighthouse is licensed by the California Department of Community Care Licensing Division. Social services.
Recently I spoke with several neighbors who received incorrect information about our facility. Language was used that I feel misrepresents the good people of Humboldt County who are working to improve their mental health and seeking treatment. So I decided to get the correct information.
Lighthouse is licensed as a coeducational adult residential care facility (ARF), serving dependent adults and seniors associated with Humboldt County Behavioral Health. Most clients served at the Lighthouse have a Humboldt County case manager and some have a guardian appointed by the Humboldt County Office of the Public Guardian. Although the Lighthouse is a new facility, Willow Glen Care Center has been working with Humboldt County since 1996. Willow Glen operates a total of 10 licensed facilities in Northern California, including a second facility here in Eureka.
Lighthouse employs an administrator (that’s me), a house manager, a house supervisor, a medication technician, and about a dozen mental health aides and mental health workers. Our staff is awake and on-site 24/7. In addition to our 24/7 staff, the interior and exterior of our facility are monitored by a newly installed HD camera system.
All clients referred to The Lighthouse are evaluated by a clinical and multidisciplinary team prior to acceptance. If that team determines that the client is not a good fit for Lighthouse, the referral may be denied and the client may be referred to another level of care. For example, potential customers who may not be suitable for this region will not be allowed to participate in this program.
Although we are not a drug/alcohol treatment facility, we recognize that some of our clients have addiction issues and will work with each client toward their individual goals. . Lighthouse is a calm living environment. Potential customers who are actively using drugs or alcohol will not be permitted entry to the Lighthouse. Additionally, any customer who relapses (or violates other house rules) while staying at our property may be at risk of losing admission to this property.
Although the Lighthouse is not a locked facility, guests are required to obtain a pass before venturing out into the community (this is one of our rules). All pass times will be monitored and “on-the-go” behavior will be taken into account when considering continuation/discontinuation of a community pass. Clients sign out and sign in for all passes, and client walks and outings typically occur during normal daytime hours.
As mentioned above, Willow Glen Care Center operates a total of 10 facilities here in Northern California, and we strive to be good neighbors at all of our facilities. I have personally worked for this organization for the past 15 years and it is very important to me that our programs add value locally. The building is well maintained and the gardens and grounds are kept in good condition. We have ample off-street parking for our employees (10 paved parking spaces) and encourage our employees, customers, and visitors to be kind and respectful members of our community. has been.
Of course, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly. If you have any questions, we will do our best to assist you. The best way to contact us is by email: [email protected]
We apologize for not contacting our neighbors sooner. And I hope my negligence is not interpreted as an attempt to deceive anyone. Because many of our clients are at risk and have been abused and victimized in the past due to the stigma surrounding their diagnosis, I often err on the side of caution.
That being said, I am confident that the Lighthouse will become a point of pride for this region and, as its name suggests, a beacon of hope for the residents of the area we serve.
thank you,
david gilbert
