A new Santa Clara County psychiatric pavilion is scheduled to begin accepting patients Nov. 3, adding an in-county treatment option for Palo Alto children, teenagers and adults experiencing psychiatric crises.

The Behavioral Health Pavilion at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San José will have 77 inpatient beds: 14 for children, 21 for adolescents and 42 for adults, according to the county’s Oct. 26 announcement.

For Palo Alto families, the additional youth beds could reduce the need to travel outside Santa Clara County for treatment. The county says approximately 375 young people are placed in acute psychiatric care annually, with about 65% sent to facilities outside the county. Those out-of-county placements include approximately 87 children ages 13 and younger and 157 teenagers ages 14-17.

“By keeping specialized inpatient psychiatric care local, we are ensuring that children, youth and adults receive compassionate, top-tier stabilization services close to their primary support networks — their families and their homes,” Board of Supervisors President Otto Lee said in the announcement.

The county says the pavilion will provide emergency psychiatric services for people arriving voluntarily or brought by ambulance or police.

Years of planning

The Board of Supervisors approved construction in 2017. The pavilion received more than $80 million in state grants, according to the county.

The three-story building cost $470 million, and its adult section replaces an existing facility, San José Spotlight reported. The newspaper reported that construction setbacks delayed an original 2023 opening target.

Services and location

The approximately 207,000-square-foot pavilion has separate age-specific inpatient units, outdoor courtyards and a shared rooftop basketball and exercise court.

Patient rooms and group spaces sit along the building’s exterior to provide daylight and outdoor views, according to project architect HGA. Inpatient units occupy the upper floors, while public-facing services are on the ground floor.

The county says physicians and nurses will staff the building around the clock. A retail pharmacy will operate during business hours so patients can obtain medications before discharge.

A newly constructed pedestrian bridge will soon connect the pavilion to the medical center’s emergency department, according to the county.

The pavilion is at 751 S. Bascom Ave., adjacent to the emergency department.