Assemblymember James C. Ramos
45th Assembly District
[AB 349 (RAMOS): PATTON STATE HOSPITAL: LEASE:
HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR HOMELESS]
[Pick the date]
5/31/23
SUMMARY
This bill would authorize Patton State Hospital ,
located in San Bernardino County to enter into an
agreement with a nonprofit corporation or local
government to provide housing and provide
mental health services to the Inland Empire’s
homeless population. A large portion of Patton
State Hospital remains unused even as the
County of San Bernardino’s 2023 point in time
count identified a 25.9 % increase in
homelessness and 44.1% of those counted had a
condition such as mental illness.
BACKGROUND
Patton State Hospital is located in a centralized area
of the County of San Bernardino and it has great
potential to be transformed into an effective facility
that incorporates housing and mental health
services for many of the San Bernardino County
communities.
In 2020, Governor Newsom issued an Executive
Order N-23-20 which called for the state to identify
and utilize unused or underutilized state properties
for homelessness solutions. Patton State Hospital is
a forensic psychiatric hospital that provides
treatment to forensically and civilly committed
patients within a secure, locked, treatment area.
In the City of Norwalk, award-winning Homes for
Life Foundation entered into an agreement with the
State Department of Mental Health to operate on the
former grounds of Metropolitan State Hospital.
Through this program, the organization has assisted
thousands in transitioning into long -term,
community based housing.
In 2023 , San Bernardino County released its
findings from the Point in Time Count where 4,195
individuals were counted as homeless which is a
25.9% increase from the 2022 count. 44.1 % of
those counted were identified as being homeless for
one year or more and having a disabling condition
such as mental illness, chronic health condition, and
a physical disability. In the City of San Bernardino,
there was a 175% increase in homelessness over
the past five years.
PROBLEM
There is an ongoing need for mental health services
as well as housing for those who are homeless in
the Inland Empire. San Bernardino County’s point in
time count showed the urgency for a solution to
helping these individuals receive the services they
need as well as housing.
SOLUTION
This bill allows Patton State Hospital to contract with a nonprofit corporation or local government to
provide housing and mental health services to the
Inland Empire’s homeless population. Furthermore,
with a reported increase in the homeless population,
this bill offers the County of San Bernardino the
opportunity to provide as a model on how we can
utilize State property to house and treat homeless
individuals in need of mental health services.
SUPPORT
City of San Bernardino
STAFF CONTACT
Jacob Rivera
Office of Assemblymember James C. Ramos
(916) 319-2045
[email protected]