What We Do

Housing & Residential Services

Housing is essential to mental health recovery; it’s the most basic form of healthcare.

We understand this very well and offer the following seven housing options – a total of 100 beds — of adult residential board and care homes*, Housing First facilities*, and independent living apartments for people diagnosed with serious mental illness throughout Santa Barbara County.

*Our adult residential board and care homes and Housing First programs require a referral from Santa Barbara County’s Department of Behavioral Wellness.

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Alameda House

This adult residential facility offers round-the-clock care to six residents with care staff available 24/7. Residents must be referred by Santa Barbara County’s Department of Behavioral Wellness.

Casa Juana Maria

Care staff is available 24/7. This licensed adult residential board and care home provides supervised care for six adults who need support and supervision. Residents must be referred by Santa Barbara County’s Department of Behavioral Wellness.

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Cottage Grove House

This adult residential facility employs 24/7 care staff for six residents. The home provides permanent placement for people who need this level of help. Residents must be referred by Santa Barbara County’s Department of Behavioral Wellness.

De La Vina House

This home, with an available on-site manager, has five rooms for women who have been homeless, with complex conditions increasing vulnerability. Interpersonal and programmatic supports are provided as needed. Residents must be referred by Santa Barbara County’s Department of Behavioral Wellness.

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Polly’s House

Opened in the summer of 2019, Polly’s House is an intensive rehabilitation residential facility that houses residents who otherwise would live in a hospital long term. This home is entirely ADA compliant and provides 10 residents the opportunity to live in a comfortable and social environment.To be eligible for Polly’s House, residents must be county mental health clients and have a severe and persistent mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression or schizoaffective disorder. 

Eleanor Apartments

 This is a complex for independent living, with eight two-bedroom units specifically for families where at least one member has a mental illness. An on-site Manager is available. This property has a waitlist. 

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Garden Street Apartments

 Located downtown, next to the Mental Wellness Center, Garden Street Apartments consists of fifty independent affordable housing units, plus an on-site manager. Mostly one-bedroom or studio units, these apartments are for independent living, where the principal tenant has a mental health diagnosis. Thirteen affordable units are for independent living, where the principal tenant has a low-income job in the downtown corridor. This property has a waitlist. 

For more information, please contact:

Nick Papageorge, Director of Residential Services
npapageorge@mentalwellnesscenter.org

“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”

Brene Brown