Groundbreaking Set For $580M Wellness Center In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA—A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled this week for a county-operated $580 million wellness center that officials say will offer a new approach to behavioral health treatment.

The event for Riverside University Health System’s new Wellness Village campus takes place at 1 p.m. June 12 at 20545 Harvill Avenue. RUHS leaders, Riverside County officials, state officials, healthcare advocates and community members are expected to attend.

The 19.4-acre Wellness Village at the intersection of Harvill and Placentia avenues in Mead Valley is touted as a first-of-its-kind project in Riverside County and a model for the state. Once completed, it will offer the county’s first crisis residential treatment and mental health urgent care for children.

Scheduled for completion in 2026, the village will also offer primary and specialty medical care, dental services, substance use disorder services, a pharmacy, on-site respite for families, and social services such as WIC, job training, and educational services.

When the Riverside County Board of Supervisors signed off on the project in late April, RUHS Behavioral Health Director Dr. Matthew Chang said, "This project is unlike anything else that’s been done. It will be a place where individuals of all ages can access a range of services in an environment designed to foster healing, community interaction and overall wellbeing. In terms of behavioral health treatment approaches, we are breaking new ground."

At the time, First District Supervisor Kevin Jeffries said the RUHS Wellness Village represents a major shift in healthcare delivery and will serve as a model for the state.

"By centralizing and enhancing access to healthcare, such as pediatric behavioral health services, we're ensuring that families no longer need to travel out of county for essential care," Jeffries said.

The project is expected to create hundreds of permanent jobs and generate millions of dollars in taxes and spending, according to county officials.

The center is being developed in partnership with a nonprofit corporation — P3 Riverside Holdings, LLC. The financing plan includes the issuance of tax-exempt bonds and the county entering into a long-term ground lease and facilities agreement with the nonprofit.