The Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness on Friday celebrated the official opening of its new Santa Barbara services center, which will allow the department to expand its South County services.

County officials, including county Supervisors Laura Capps and Roy Lee, attended the celebratory ribbon-cutting. A representative of California State Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón was also in attendance.

The South County Child and Family Services Center, at 315 W. Haley St., will replace the department’s former location on San Antonio Road.

According to Suzanne Grimmesey, the department’s public information officer, the new location is easier for clients to reach since it is in downtown Santa Barbara.

“Where it’s located now, we’re within a mile and a half of several schools,” Grimmesey said. “We’re right in the heart of the community, and we think accessibility is going to be huge.”

Moving to the new building also allowed the department to combine its services under one roof. The old site offered only Child and Family Services, but the new building will allow it to house all of its services.

Staff will also be able to provide homeless services, juvenile justice services, youth transition services and more.

The building will also house mobile crisis units, which the public can reach through a 24-hour access line.

Staff at the facility provide help to about 300 families. The top floor of the building will provide services to adults, while the second floor will treat kids and teenagers.

The purchase of the property and building renovations were funded by a Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program grant. The building was purchased in 2023, and staff moved into the offices in January.

Marlies Perez, the California Department of Healthcare Services Community Services Division chief, said the state has provided $6 billion in grants across California to help build more mental health and substance abuse facilities.

Perez explained that applicants such as Santa Barbara County were chosen based on their specialized needs. Santa Barbara was chosen for a grant because it has multiple vulnerable populations, such as homeless residents or kids transitioning out of foster care into adulthood, according to Perez.

“This is really increasing access for multiple vulnerable populations in the Santa Barbara area,” Perez told Noozhawk. “All the awards are to expand access in areas that have limited access, or (a) specialized need for the population.”

Supervisor Capps praised the new building, stating that the staff truly understands how to reach their clients.

Capps said the government cannot expect people to come to it, but must instead go to where the people are.

“This home, this heartbeat, this beautiful place, is just an embodiment of putting that into action by placing it right here in such a centralized location,” Capps said.