BACS) is proud to announce a major investment in mental health care: a $32 million award from the State of California to build Waypoint Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (Waypoint MHRC) — a secure, recovery-focused facility in Hayward that will bring 83 new mental health beds to Alameda County.

Funded by the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s bold initiative to overhaul California’s behavioral health system, this award supports shovel-ready projects that will keep people out of jails, emergency rooms, and homelessness.

“Waypoint MHRC will be a place of healing and safety for people with the most complex needs — people who have been left out of the system for too long,” said Jovan Yglecias, BACS Chief Operating Officer. “This is what it means to build hope.”

Fewer than one-third of counties in California currently have MHRCs, even though they are one of the most critically needed mental health services. Alameda County has among the longest psychiatric hospital stays and highest rates of 5150 holds, and too many people are stuck in a cycle of crisis because they can’t access long-term, community-based care. Waypoint MHRC will change that.

With on-site psychiatric and medical care, therapy, wellness activities, and more, Waypoint MHRC will meet the moment — offering trauma-informed, holistic support in a setting built for dignity and recovery.

The project is in deep partnership with the City of Hayward and Alameda County, and complements nearby services at BACS’ REGIS Village, creating a full continuum of care for our community.

“Waypoint is more than a building — it’s a lifeline.” — Benjamin Blake, Interim CEO