Board approves Mind OC master services agreements as public raises cost and timeline questions

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on May 21 approved master services agreements with Mind OC to operate behavioral health and recovery services at the Irvine and Orange campuses.

Public commenters asked for detailed accounting of project costs and timelines, with one speaker citing earlier estimates and asking whether the project had exceeded its original $106 million estimate. "This 22 acre site was originally approved at an estimated cost of a $106,000,000," a public speaker said during comments, citing concerns about construction, utilities and scheduling.

Board supporters and health agency officials said the item before the board was a services agreement (not a construction contract) and stressed that Mind OC would provide crisis stabilization, crisis residential and other integrated services. "This contract is for the, master service agreement, not for the construction agreement," Supervisor Katrina Foley said, noting the board had separately approved construction actions in prior meetings and that services agreements are set up to ensure the campus can operate once facilities are ready.

Supervisors praised the Mind OC model as an integrated approach to mental health and substance-use treatment, and several members noted ongoing oversight requests for performance metrics and subcontractor reports for sobering and withdrawal management services. The item passed with no recorded opposition.

Next steps: county staff will monitor subcontractor metrics and construction schedules and report back to the board as the campus moves toward operational phases in 2025.