Crestwood Fallbrook Healing Center opens its doors

On the site of the long-shuttered Fallbrook Hospital, a new center for healing is ready to begin working with patients suffering from mental and behavioral health issues.

Crestwood Fallbrook Healing Center, a mental health rehabilitation center, opened its doors to the public, Wednesday, Aug. 21, to celebrate its arrival in the community.

Crestwood Behavioral Health Inc. officials, newly hired employees, dignitaries and members of the community were invited to visit the facility, tour the amenities and learn more about the facility that was proposed to open back in 2018.

Patti Blum, executive vice president of operations, welcomed everyone to the open house, as did President Derek Dobbins and Fallbrook campus administrator John Carswell.

"We are excited about joining the community of Fallbrook," Carswell said. "I have been attending various community meetings for the last couple of months and working to educate the community about what we do here."

The secure, locked facility, will serve 100 clients in a residential setting, and patients will stay for six to 12 months.

According to Crestwood Fallbrook Healing Center documents provided at the open house, patients screening will begin at "a crisis stabilization center or emergency department. If more stabilization is needed, the client will transfer to an acute psychiatric hospital located elsewhere."

Clients will only be accepted to the Fallbrook program if they meet stringent levels of admission criteria. According to Crestwood, no one with a violent felony conviction or primary drug or alcohol addiction will be treated at the Fallbrook location.

The only clients permitted for treatment will be those with a psychiatric diagnosis, and they must have rehabilitation potential.

Clients at the Fallbrook campus will come from surrounding communities such as San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.

As visitors toured the facilities, they were shown residential rooms consisting of two to three beds, as well as therapeutic, fitness and spa rooms. The facility will have an on-site culinary staff providing healthy food to promote a healthy lifestyle.

The center representatives expected to employ more than 100 people, including everything from doctors, therapists, housekeeping, janitorial and more.

For more information about Crestwood Fallbrook Healing Center, visit crestwoodbehavioralhealth.com or call (760) 451-4165.

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].