Transitions-Mental Health Association needs your help to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our community are able to get the mental health treatment they need in San Luis Obispo County!
We are reaching out to you regarding the behavioral health hospital being proposed for Templeton, across the street from Twin Cities Hospital. The SLO County Planning Commission has approved this project unanimously after two hearings with much public comment. However, there is a very vocal opposition group of Templeton area folks called “Concerned Citizens Preventing Unintended Consequences” which is pushing back very strongly against this project being built in their town. They have filed an appeal , hence the matter will be decided by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 15 at 9am.
While we are happy to have such a facility ANYWHERE in SLO County, the reality is this is the ONLY project being proposed. If we lose this project, the long passed over need for mental health treatment beds in our county will be set back years.
We are calling on medical doctors, psychologists, therapists, counselors, nurses, mental health advocates, teachers/professors, persons living with mental illness, your families, and anyone affected by mental illness – we need your help!
Our County Supervisors must hear the voices of those who see the obvious need. (If you are a professional who has sent patients out of our county for hospitalization, your voice is especially potent.)
There are many ways to get involved and show your support for this important facility:
· SPREAD THE WORD and forward this email to someone who supports the cause.
· SIGN THE PETITION and submit to the project developers by Friday, March 11.
· WRITE A LETTER or EMAIL in support of this facility and send it to the County Supervisors or your local newspaper. Feel free to use the form letter we’ve attached, or write your own.
· CALL your County Supervisor and let them know you support the Templeton behavioral health hospital and encourage them to approve the project.
· ATTEND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ MEETING AND SPEAK during public comment. The agenda will posted on the county website by Wed, March 9. Check here.
Board of Supervisors’ meeting is Tuesday, March 15 starting at 9am
Corner of Santa Rosa and Monterey Streets, first floor
Please arrive early to submit a Public Comment speaker’s request and/or get a seat.
We’ve attached all the forms and contact info you need to show support:
· Petition, Project Fact Sheet, and Contact info for Supervisors and local papers, from developers Harvey and Melanie Billig (retired Templeton Ophthalmologist and former SLO Mayor).
· A sample letter idea from TMHA.
· A link to the public comment card here: “Board Appearance Request Form”. You can print this out in advance and submit at the meeting. We’ve been told by one Supervisors office that they plan to honor all speaking requests. You have 3 minutes to speak.
We thank you for your timely consideration of this important issue.
- Jill Bolster-White, President and CEO, Transitions-Mental Health Association
*****ORIGINAL ARTICLE: 10/13/2015: A proposed 91 bed mental health hospital in Templeton is being strongly opposed. You can read more about it in the Tribune by clicking here.
Once again, NIMBYism is destroying what is needed for the "common good". Currently there is only a single 16 bed mental health facility to serve the entire county of San Luis Obispo. However, if you have private insurance, like most do in SLO County, then you cannot use that facility. It's only for the low income on Medi-Cal and the like. Instead, you have to travel out of county. Because of this, many skip mental health services altogether...that can't be healthy, can it?
