Sutter Health commits US$ 23M to primary and behavioral care

USA – Sutter Health, a healthcare system based in Sacramento, is investing $23 million to expand access to primary and mental health services in Del Norte and Lake counties.

This major effort aims to bring better care to areas that are often underserved, with projects focused on emergency mental health, urgent care, and community support.

A big part of this funding is going toward building a new EmPATH unit at Sutter Coast Hospital.

EmPATH, which stands for Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing, is designed to help people going through serious mental health crises in a peaceful, supportive space.

This approach can help stabilize patients without the need for long hospital stays, and it’s expected to reduce emergency room wait times once it opens in early 2026.

In addition, Sutter has purchased an 18,000-square-foot building near the hospital to expand access to services like primary care, urgent care, and physical rehabilitation.

Construction is scheduled to start in early 2026, with plans to open in early 2027. To support healthcare workers, Sutter is also planning affordable housing near the hospital to help attract and keep medical professionals.

So far, US$ 17.5 million has been approved for planning these projects, including the new care facilities and housing development.

Sutter is also focusing on Lake County, where it will build a new 6,900-square-foot care center in Hidden Valley Lake. This area is known as a “healthcare desert” due to the lack of doctors.

The new center, expected to open in June 2026, will offer urgent and primary care, laboratory and X-ray services, as well as rotating specialists in cardiology, women’s health, and orthopedics.

According to Sutter Lakeside Hospital CEO Timothy Stephens, Lake County has only 12 primary care providers for over 67,000 people, resulting in delays of up to six months for new appointments. The new facility is expected to serve at least 3,000 new patients annually.

Beyond building new sites, Sutter is also upgrading its telehealth and tech services. It is working with Concert Health to expand access to mental health care through virtual visits.

Sutter also operates a telestroke program that enables emergency teams in rural areas to deliver faster stroke care with expert guidance from specialists.