Redding, Calif. — In a surprise special meeting called less than 48 hours in advance, Shasta County Board Chair Kevin Crye will present a letter to formally oppose the True North Behavioral Health Campus—a project that would bring over $200 million in State-funded infrastructure and more than 200 local health-care jobs to Shasta County without using County tax dollars.
Despite ten months of collaboration across hospitals, schools, law enforcement, and public agencies, the proposed opposition letter misrepresents key facts about the project overall and its funding. True North Behavioral Health Campus was developed through the Shasta Health Assessment and Redesign Collaborative (SHARC) in partnership with Arch Collaborative and Signature Healthcare, aligning with California’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP).
SHARC Chairman Brandon Thornock said, “True North represents years of collaboration through SHARC to identify service gaps and keep care local for every resident.”
“The True North Campus was shaped by data and need, not politics,” said Kimberly Johnson, CEO of Arch Collaborative. “Our local behavioral health system is near critical mass, and everyone who has experienced it knows it - families, first responders, hospitals, and social workers. This project is a lifeline to break the cycle of systemic crisis, stabilize what remains for our heroic frontline staff, bring in a nationally recognized leader in high-acuity care, and finally make help available here at home.”
The project seeks to expand critical capacity for crisis stabilization, inpatient treatment, detox, and youth care—directly responding to service gaps documented in County and regional planning data and projected to escalate under SB 43’s new standards. Over 200 unique individuals, including community stakeholders, frontline workers, families with lived experience, and crisis care experts participated in 100+ engagement meetings since December 2024, including hospital CEOs, law enforcement, NAMI families, and HHSA leadership.
“This is a community-driven project, and we have worked to be transparent and collaborative through this process, especially with HHSA. Now, new concerns from the County are being raised that we only learned about when the agenda was posted on Wednesday night. It is unfortunate that we have not been invited to participate in the Board’s discussion and to address them directly,” said Mary Williams, Director of Regional Initiatives for Arch Collaborative. “The community deserves a complete and accurate understanding of the project, and we remain ready to provide it.”
In earlier County communications, on April 25, 2025, HHSA Interim Director Coleman approved a quotewhich publicly recognized the value of collaborative planning and the need for expanded behavioral health infrastructure. “This effort brings together the strengths of healthcare, nonprofit, and government partners to address behavioral health infrastructure needs in Shasta County,” said Christy Coleman, then Interim Director of Shasta County HHSA. “Thank you to all the entities collaborating to bring meaningful, community-driven behavioral-health solutions to our community.” That spirit of partnership has and continues to guide the development of the True North Behavioral Health Campus’ project partners. *Director Coleman then reaffirmed the use of this quote on September 15, 2025.
The True North initiative already carries 49 formal letters of support, including more than 20 from county leaders across ten Northern California counties, as well as endorsements from State Senator Megan Dahle, Partnership HealthPlan of California, Rural County Representatives of California, Hill Country Community Clinic, Mercy Medical Center – Redding, Shasta Regional Medical Center, Shasta Community Health Center, Shasta County Public Health Officer Dr. James Mu, District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett, Sheriff Michael Johnson, Redding Police Chief Brian Barner, Anderson Police Chief Oliver Collins, and the Shasta County Office of Education Superintendent Mike Freeman—reflecting a broad consensus that urgent behavioral health investment is long overdue.
The opposition letter proposed by Chairman Crye falsely claims the project duplicates existing services, despite data from law enforcement and hospitals showing repeated ER boarding and lack of high-acuity placements. It also undermines the collaboration and information sharing around the proposal, which has included County HHSA staff from the beginning.
“Tomorrow’s meeting is an opportunity for our community to choose courage over comfort,” said Johnson. “Families in Shasta County deserve action, not politics—and we will continue to make sure the voices that shaped this project lead the way forward.”
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About Arch Collaborative
Arch Collaborative is a nonprofit organization based in Redding, California, dedicated to strengthening systems of care for children, families, and communities through partnership, innovation, and trauma-informed practices.
