Seneca Family of Agencies Expands Crisis Services for Youth in Monterey County
Salinas, California, April 17, 2025 – Seneca Family of Agencies is proud to announce the expansion of critical mental health services in Monterey County with the opening of its Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) and Children’s Crisis Residential Program (CCRP). These programs will provide immediate, short-term support for youth experiencing acute mental health crises, ensuring they receive timely care close to home.
The Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) offers rapid assessment and intervention for youth in crisis, helping to stabilize them and connect families to ongoing support. As part of Seneca’s comprehensive continuum of care, the CSU works in coordination with mobile response teams, partial hospitalization programs, and residential therapeutic services to provide wraparound mental health support.
Similarly, the Children’s Crisis Residential Program (CCRP) offers a safe, structured environment where youth can receive intensive therapeutic support during a mental health crisis. This program serves as an alternative to hospitalization, providing short-term residential care that prioritizes stabilization, skill-building, and family reintegration. The CCRP operates as part of Seneca’s broader network of crisis intervention services, including mobile response teams and partial hospitalization programs.
Why These Services Matter
For years, Monterey County youth in crisis had to travel long distances for emergency mental health care. The launch of these programs brings 24/7, trauma-informed crisis intervention directly to the community, reducing the need for hospitalization while ensuring youth and families receive high-quality, compassionate care.
Join the Team
Seneca is actively hiring for several key positions, including:
Nurses (RNs + Nurse Manager)
Clinicians / Therapists
Youth Stabilization Specialists (entry-level with training provided)
Program Leadership roles
New staff will participate in a two-week New Employee Orientation (NEO) and receive continued training and supervision within a collaborative, trauma-informed environment.
Interested applicants can explore current openings here.
Help Spread the Word: Media Toolkit Available
To support the successful rollout of these programs, Seneca has developed a Digital Media Toolkit for partners, supporters, and community members who want to help amplify the launch. The toolkit includes:
Shareable graphics and captions for Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
Printable flyers and outreach materials
Email templates and a sample press release
Messaging to promote the new programs and hiring efforts
Seneca Family of Agencies and Monterey County Celebrate Start of Construction of New Behavioral Health Center in Salinas
Salinas, California, August 26, 2024 — In partnership with Monterey County Behavioral Health, Seneca Family of Agencies is proud to announce the start of construction on a new behavioral health center that will provide vital services for Monterey County children and youth experiencing acute mental health crises. Located in Salinas, Calif, this new facility on River Road will house a four-bed Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) and four-bed Children’s Crisis Residential Program (CCRP) that will serve children and youth ages 6 to 17 who do not require inpatient treatment but would benefit from ongoing behavioral health stabilization and therapeutic support. These programs are critically needed in the Central Coast region and will be the first of their kind in the county for Medi-Cal members. The creation of the CSU and CCRP programs will allow Monterey County youth in crisis to receive the critical stabilization and long-term wellness services they deserve within their own community.
“We are thrilled to expand our services in Monterey County with the construction of this new behavioral health center,” said Dawn Henson, Regional Executive Director for the Central Coast at Seneca Family of Agencies. “This facility will provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and youth in crisis, offering them the essential stabilization and therapeutic support they need within their own community. Our partnership with Monterey County Behavioral Health, Child and Youth division is a testament to our shared commitment to providing comprehensive, trauma-informed care that meets the unique needs of every child and family we serve.”
Nestled in the hillside of a quiet agricultural community, the River Road facility will be developed to offer a home-like setting for children and youth in crisis, while also incorporating state-of-the-art therapeutic and medical features to ensure safety and healing support. Unlike traditional locked inpatient settings, such as hospital psychiatric units or psychiatric health facilities, the less restrictive treatment setting allows for flexible services that meet the individual needs of each youth in crisis.
“It has been a long-time goal of Behavioral Health to create a facility locally so that the children and youth in need of critical mental health support and stabilization can stay here, in their home community, with the support of their family and caring professionals,” shared Dr. Marni R. Sandoval, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health for County of Monterey Health Department. “Our partnership with Seneca Family of Agencies has allowed this goal to become a reality. Together we will open the doors to a center focused on trauma-informed compassionate care for children, youth, and families right here in Monterey County.”
Seneca and County of Monterey Partnership
The development of the River Road facility is the result of a decades-long partnership between Monterey County and Seneca Family of Agencies. For over 40 years, Seneca has provided trauma-informed, family-centered services to Monterey County children, youth, and families. Upon completion of the River Road facility, the CSU and CCRP will join Seneca’s broad continuum of local services funded through the county partnership, which currently includes wraparound services, outpatient behavioral health therapy, foster care and adoption services, and mobile crisis support services.
Funding Sources
This project involves the partial renovation of Seneca’s existing 27,500 square foot building, converting approximately 6,000 square feet of existing office and counseling spaces into the CSU and CCRP facility. This exceptional opportunity was made possible through combined grant funding of $5.5 million from the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) awarded to Monterey County Behavioral Health, a Children’s Crisis Continuum Pilot Program (CCCPP) awarded to Monterey County Behavioral Health, and federal funding administered through California’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) awarded to Seneca Family of Agencies.
The Investment in Mental Health Wellness Grant Program for Children and Youth was created in 2016 under the expansion of the Investment in Mental Health Wellness Act by Senate Bill 833. This authorized the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) to support the development of an array of crisis services for children and youth, with a specific focus on capital improvement and expansion. In demonstration to the commitment to developing this much-needed facility, Monterey County Behavioral Health applied for and was awarded CHFFA funding, allowing for braided funding to maximize this historic opportunity.
Dr. Marni R. Sandoval, deputy director of behavioral health, County of Monterey Health Department (left) and Dawn Henson, regional executive director, Central Coast – Seneca Family of Agencies (right), kick off the project construction at the River Road facility.
The County was additionally selected as one of eight counties and regional collaboratives to receive a Children’s Crisis Continuum Pilot Program (CCCPP) grant from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in partnership with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS); funds from this award will also be supporting the development and operation of the River Road facility.
