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Ruiz, Feinstein Introduce Bill to Improve Access to Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center

February 1, 2021

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Raul Ruiz (CA-36) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to improve access to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center in Riverside County. This bill would provide the Indian Health Service with authority to acquire land and build an access road to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center outside of Hemet, California. The facility is the only Indian Health Service Youth Regional Treatment Center in California and is currently accessed by a dilapidated dirt road that washes out in heavy rains.

"As the only IHS Youth Regional Treatment Center in California, the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center provides crucial services to support our native youth and build strong communities in our region and around the state," Dr. Ruiz said. "It is unacceptable that there is no paved access to this facility. This bipartisan legislation will increase access to health care and restore dignity to residents throughout the region who rely on the treatment and care that Desert Sage provides."

"Desert Sage provides critical care to our native youth and it's imperative that they always have access to the facility," Senator Feinstein said. "The dirt road leading to the facility washes out in rainstorms and desperately needs to be paved. Desert Sage is the only Indian Health Services Youth Regional Treatment Center currently operating in California. We must fix the road so its patients can access the care they need."

"Tribes, Indian Health Programs, and American Indian families in California appreciate Congressional Representative Dr. Raul Ruiz for introducing this legislation and Representatives Aguilar, Barragán, Cárdenas, and Calvert for cosponsoring it," said Dr. Mark LeBeau, Chief Executive Officer of the California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. "Their leadership in bringing this important legislation forward supports the Indian Health Service in completing the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center construction project in Southern California."

The bill passed the Senate last year and was approved as part of a larger bill in the House, but the 116th Congress ended before the bill became law. Feinstein and Ruiz are hopeful that last year's momentum will spur rapid passage of the bill.

Background

The Desert Sage Youth Treatment Center provides culturally sensitive treatment for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth between ages 12 and 17 suffering from Substance Use Disorders (SUD). Previously, AI/AN youth used out-of-state facilities, which took away their support systems at this crucial time of recovery from SUD.

Desert Sage was constructed in 2016 and can serve up to 32 patients at a time. It is the only IHS Youth Regional Treatment Center in California.

When the facility was constructed, the Indian Health Service was unable to reach agreement with landowners on adjacent properties in order to pave and maintain an access road. Dr. Ruiz's legislation would give IHS the authority to purchase the land from willing sellers and construct a road to the facility.

Specifically, the legislation would:

  • Authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Indian Health Service, to purchase land from willing sellers along a dirt road leading to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center;
  • Require the secretary pay a fair market value for the land acquired;
  • And direct the federal government to construct a paved road to improve access to the Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center.