Wright Seeks Land for Mentally Ill

State Sen. Cathie Wright said Thursday she will seek legislation authorizing the state to deed 57 acres near Camarillo State Hospital to Ventura County to create programs for the mentally disabled.

Since the closure of the state hospital was announced, the Simi Valley Republican has pushed for a portion of the hospital to be handed over to the county and used to care for local mentally ill and developmentally disabled clients.

With university officials unwilling to include a mental health component in their plans to convert the 60-year-old institution into a state university, Wright looked elsewhere.

She found a parcel on Lewis Road, owned by the state General Services Agency, and helped broker a pact to transfer the land.

Although the last of the hospital’s patients have been moved, Wright said she was pleased to work out a deal for land that could be used in the future as a mental health facility.

“I have always been supportive of a university in Ventura County but have been equally supportive of children and adults with mental illness and other vulnerable populations,” she said in a prepared statement.

“I was determined to find a solution that will enable us to keep faith with the students of our area and the seriously mentally ill residents of Ventura who also need our compassion and assistance.”

Wright’s legislation will be tacked onto a state land transfer bill for consideration in coming weeks.

Although the land is outside the former hospital grounds, the Assn. for Retarded Citizens has leased 18 acres of the property to serve 850 developmentally disabled clients since 1968.

And next door is La Posada, a transitional facility for adults with mental illness.

County Supervisor John K. Flynn, who along with Wright had lobbied for the state to set aside part of the state hospital, was thrilled with the latest development.

He credited legal action by parents of Camarillo State patients for pressuring the state into action.

“I think the state is trying to make up for it with these 57 acres,” he said.

While a new building would have to be constructed to provide new housing or services, Flynn is optimistic that the county can obtain federal money and build something in the next five years.

“I think it will be useful for building a facility for people who suffer severe mental illnesses, such as those who were at Cam State,” Flynn said. “I think it will be much less expensive for us to keep them here in the county.”

Leo O’Hearn, whose mentally ill son lived at the state hospital and now lives in a local apartment, said the land transfer is welcome news.

“We need it after the closure of the hospital,” he said. “We’ll be able to make good use of it.”

Fred Robinson, executive director of the Assn. for Retarded Citizens, agreed, saying that with the hospital closure the county has a great need to create programs for the mentally disabled.

“We’d be very interested in joint programs or developing programs,” Robinson said. “We desperately need revenue and help from the state or the county to serve our people. If the state makes this decision to place people in the community, it becomes our responsibility to do it well. And we need resources to do that.”