The Gridley area has historically been underserved in mental health care. Desgined by Magnific

 

OROVILLE, CA (MPG) – A Gridley councilmember urged Butte County supervisors to protect behavioral health services for south county residents as the board approved several mental health contracts and funding increases May 26.

J. Angel Calderon, a former behavioral health employee and current Gridley City Council member, told the board the Gridley area has historically been underserved in mental health care and warned against reducing outreach programs aimed at vulnerable populations.

“One of the reasons I run for office is actually to address and possibly establish an infrastructure for health in Gridley,” Calderon said during public comment.

Calderon said he was encouraged by reports that a new behavioral health clinic could open in Gridley within months but raised concerns about what he described as planned reductions to special population services.

“I am very concerned about the last meeting we had with the advisory board,” Calderon said. “I understand that behavioral health is going to cut all the services provided to special populations.”

He pointed to outreach efforts involving farm workers, children and elderly residents. Calderon said the Promotores Program helped uplift Latino and Hmong families by connecting at‑risk residents with mental health education, chronic disease prevention and behavioral health services, particularly during the COVID‑19 pandemic when many agricultural workers continued working under stressful conditions.

He also reminded supervisors that Gridley once had one of the highest suicide rates per capita in the region and credited community outreach and prevention efforts with improving conditions over time.

The comments came during a meeting in which the Butte County Board of Supervisors approved multiple behavioral health agreements and funding amendments.

Among the actions supervisors approved was an amendment increasing a state behavioral health grant by $450,000, bringing the total grant amount to more than $5.5 million and extending the funding through June 2028. County officials said the grant supports expanded access to mental health services for children and youth, including foster youth and LGBTQ students.

Supervisors also approved additional funding for Paradise Unified School District mental health outreach services and a nearly $500,000 agreement for psychiatric medical director services due to an ongoing shortage of psychiatrists in Butte County.

The behavioral health items were approved as part of the board’s consent agenda.