(Mission Viejo) – County of Orange officials, community mental health advocates and Health Care Agency (HCA) representatives will join Thursday, April 26 to celebrate the opening of the new Royalé Mission Viejo mental health facility with a 9:30 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony.

Participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony and program will be County of Orange Board of Supervisors Chair Cynthia P. Coad, Third District Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Mission Viejo Mayor Pro Tem Susan Withrow and Howard Black, NAMI California. Royalé Mission Viejo, located at 23228 Madero, will provide services to eighty clients under a contract with the Orange County Health Care Agency, which was recently approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Health Care Agency officials say the beautiful facility represents several important improvements in community mental health services. "Royalé Mission Viejo will provide much needed in-county mental health rehabilitation services, which will benefit consumers and their families," said Julie Poulson, HCA Director. "The facility brings important services to South County and marks the culmination of several years of planning," added Doug Barton, HCA Deputy Agency Director/Behavioral Health Services

Royalé Mission Viejo will combine therapeutic treatment of initial or chronic mental illness with a focus on helping consumers develop the skills necessary for an independent lifestyle. Recreational therapy, leisure activities, special outings and a consumer-driven prevocational program are designed to compliment the therapeutic programs.

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