Urgent Action Needed to Sustain Unique Mental Health Program:

On 10/21/24, Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier announced the impending closure of Redwood House, a vital Crisis Residential Facility, scheduled for 12/31/24. This facility has been a cornerstone of mental health support in our community for over 60 years. Its closure would jeopardize the mental health of countless individuals and strain our already overwhelmed social services. However, the decision can be reversed!

Writing on behalf of the hard-working and passionate team at Caminar's Redwood House, this fight to save this irreplaceable mental health lifeline in San Mateo County begins on a personal note. Many of our staff have loved ones who have battled with mental health challenges—battles that could have been less arduous had they had access to a program like Redwood House. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 adults live with mental illness in the U.S.

Redwood House has served our community for over 60 years, opening its doors in 1964. It is not just a successful, long-running program, but the flagship vessel of Caminar’s mental health work and is the only Crisis Mental Health Program in San Mateo County. A Crisis Residential Treatment (CRT) program is an alternative to hospitalization and provides services to individuals experiencing acute & distressing psychiatric symptoms. This differs from other mental health services due to the safe homelike environment, staff availability 24/7/365, and assists people to stabilize through the personalization of treatment. Medi-Cal is billed so clients do not need to worry about financing through recovery. 

 

 

**Why Redwood House Matters**

1. **Essential Services**: 
Redwood House is the only Crisis Mental Health Program in San Mateo County, providing a safe, homelike environment for individuals experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms. The program offers an alternative to hospitalization, enabling clients to stabilize and regain their independence.

2. **Community Impact**:
In San Mateo County alone, over 146,000 adults grapple with mental health conditions each year—over 20% of the population. The facility supports individuals at high risk of hospitalization, helping them transition from acute care back into the community.

3. **Comprehensive Support**:
Each resident works with a primary counselor to create a personalized treatment plan, with access to life skills training and a variety of therapeutic groups. Our Harm Reduction approach addresses substance use issues, which is crucial given the rising addiction rates.

4. **Collaboration with Local Organizations**:
Redwood House partners with numerous community organizations—including Second Harvest Food Bank, NAMI, and San Mateo Medical Center—to provide holistic support for its residents.

5. **Preventing a Crisis**:
The closure of Redwood House would lead to an increase in homelessness and incarceration rates. Approximately 70% of individuals booked into San Mateo County’s Maguire Correctional Facility struggle with addiction or mental illness. Displacing residents will exacerbate these issues, cycling them through costly emergency services.

**The Stakes Are High**

The potential closure of Redwood House not only threatens the well-being of its residents but also undermines our community's mental health framework. With homelessness on the rise and a significant portion of the unhoused population experiencing mental health challenges, Redwood House is a critical resource that must be preserved.

**Take Action**

We cannot allow this invaluable program to close. By signing this petition, you are voicing your support for maintaining funding and resources for Redwood House. Together, we can ensure that our community continues to have access to essential mental health services that promote recovery and stability.

**Join Us in the Fight**

Please sign this petition to urge local representatives to take action in support of Redwood House. Our community's wellness depends on it!

Save Redwood House, where mental health is a priority, not an option.

*Donations made through Change.org will be allocated directly to Change.org to promote this petition.

 

 

More information:

Our clients are at high risk of hospitalization and are transitioning from an acute care setting. We partner with San Mateo County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (BHRS) to process referrals from San Jose, San Francisco, East Bay, Peninsula, Santa Rosa, and Sacramento, amongst other areas. Redwood House believes that individuals with a mental illness can recover and live full self-determined lives; that a diagnosis is not a destiny. Redwood House uses a psychosocial rehabilitation approach and provides various rehabilitation and recovery services from which residents may choose to develop a personalized recovery plan.

 

 

Each resident is assigned a primary counselor with whom they develop and implement a treatment plan designed to be completed in 30-90 days. Redwood House fosters continued stabilization and the development of coping skills. Clients are also offered life skills training, which includes a broad range of therapeutic and educational groups. Furthermore, clients work closely with the program’s discharge coordinator to ensure community placement upon discharge. Additionally, Redwood House utilizes a Harm Reduction approach for addressing substance use issues, which is an evidence-based practice to aid in reducing the number of overdoses, hospitalizations, and transmission of diseases from injection, such as HIV. 

A few of our community partners include Second Harvest Food Bank, NAMI, Mental Health Association (MHA), Mateo Lodge, Telecare, CA Club House, San Mateo Medical Center, StarVista, Edgewood, County Mental Health Clinics (North, Central, South), Ted's Village Pharmacy, Pathways, San Mateo Pride Center, plus many more.

In San Mateo County alone, where our crucial program is in danger, over 146,000 adults grapple with mental health conditions each year. This is over 20% of the total population. Also, homelessness has increased by 18% since 2022, and has nearly doubled since 2017. A large portion of the unhoused population experience mental health symptoms & substance use/addiction. At Redwood House, residents are never discharged to the streets!

 

 

According to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office: "Over the past several years, the number of incarcerated persons with addiction and mental illness in the Office’s care has increased. Approximately 70 percent of people who are booked into San Mateo County’s Maguire Correctional Facility are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Additionally, around 48 percent of people have a form of mental illness."

If Redwood House closes, residents will be abruptly displaced. This will lead to those in need cycling through hospitals and jails, which does not help with rehabilitation and will cost taxpayers more money. Thus, Redwood House's potential closure jeopardizes its clients' mental well-being and the broader social support system for thousands of vulnerable people—our neighbors, friends, and family. 

We cannot allow this! Our community’s wellness depends on the preservation of Redwood House. This is the only established mental health crisis facility in the county, there is no alternative of equal value.  By signing this petition, you would join the many voices telling our local representatives to maintain funding and support for this vital program.