Sierra Vista Developmental Center in Yuba City to close its doors

California Department of Developmental ServicesDec 15 2009

After a decade of providing vital services to people with some of the most challenging behaviors and needs, Sierra Vista Developmental Center in Yuba City is scheduled to close its doors December 18.

The facility provided round-the-clock rehabilitative and nursing services to approximately 50 clients at a time. Among its trained, professional staff, the facility employed 51 state Bargaining Unit 18 members: seven senior psychiatric technicians, 22 psychiatric technicians and 22 psychiatric technician assistants.

As one of the California Department of Developmental Services’ two community facilities, Sierra Vista served Californians with dual diagnoses of developmental disabilities and mental illnesses. Clients came to Sierra Vista from regional centers, Department of Mental Health facilities, county jails, acute psychiatric hospitals and Porterville Developmental Center’s secure-treatment unit.

The Department of Developmental Services announced in June it would close Sierra Vista as a budget-cutting move as the facility’s lease comes up for renewal.

Clients were moved to other state developmental centers or into community placements. Employees are seeking jobs elsewhere in state service. Although the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians was able to retain rehiring and other rights for affected employee members, positions are difficult to find as many state vacancies have been cut and hiring freezes are in effect.

“It’s like a ghost town – you’ve seen the place full of clients and staff, and now there’s nobody there,” said Jerry Whitecotton, a psychiatric technician assistant who considers himself lucky to have obtained a place at Porterville Developmental Center in Tulare County. “It’s all kind of unbelievable.”

Sierra Vista is the second DDS facility to close this year. Agnews Developmental Center in San Jose closed in March after 120 years of service to Californians with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses.

“A society is judged by how it treats is most vulnerable,” said Tony Myers, CAPT state president and a Lanterman Developmental Center senior psychiatric technician. “These ongoing cuts to professional client care are nothing short of tragic.”