Supporting Recovery. Strengthening Community Safety
The Horizon Recovery Center is a proposal by Horizon Services designed to improve care, reduce strain on emergency services, and enhance community safety in San Mateo County.
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A challenge already facing our community
San Mateo County, like communities across the region, is facing a growing challenge: how to respond to substance use crises in ways that protect both public safety and community well-being.
Today, individuals experiencing substance use emergencies are often taken to emergency rooms or local jails—settings that are not designed to provide appropriate stabilization or long-term care. This places strain on hospitals, law enforcement, and public resources while leaving many individuals without a clear path to recovery.
At the same time, San Mateo County has experienced the loss of key treatment resources, including the closure of its only sobering center and other behavioral health providers—creating a gap in care at a critical time.
Substance use crises are already happening across our community—impacting neighborhoods, small businesses, and public spaces every day. Without the right response, these challenges continue to affect daily life for residents, workers, and families.
The question is whether these challenges are managed safely in a structured setting, or continue to unfold across public spaces and emergency systems.
A coordinated,
care-based response
The proposed Horizon Recovery Center in San Mateo County is designed to provide a comprehensive, medically supervised continuum of care for Substance Use Disorder (SUD)—all in one location.
The center brings together:
- Sobering services for immediate, low-barrier stabilization
- Withdrawal management (detox) to support early recovery
- Residential treatment programs for long-term stability
This integrated model allows individuals to move from crisis to recovery in a structured, supportive environment without navigating fragmented systems. By consolidating services at one site, the facility helps reduce barriers to care, improve outcomes, and ensure individuals receive the right level of support at the right time.
This enables a coordinated response that brings clear structure, supervision, and accountability to how the challenges of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) are handled—rather than leaving them to unfold across emergency systems or in public spaces.
Stronger systems. Safer outcomes.
Improves public safety response
Provides first responders with a safe, medically supervised alternative to emergency rooms or jail.
Expands access to care
Adds critical treatment capacity and strengthens San Mateo County’s behavioral health system.
Supports recovery and stability
Helps individuals move beyond crisis toward long-term recovery.
Creates a more coordinated response
Moves crisis response into a structured, professional care setting.
Reduces pressure on emergency services
Helps ease demand on hospitals, law enforcement, and crisis response systems.
Communities are not deciding whether these challenges exist
—but they can decide how they are managed.
Designed with clear safeguards and accountability
These commitments reflect how the facility is designed to operate and how it will be held accountable over time, based on established operating standards used in communities across California.
This facility will operate with structure, accountability, and ongoing responsiveness — not as a passive use, but as a professionally managed care environment with clear safeguards, professional oversight, and ongoing coordination with public safety and health partners.
24/7 Professional Staffing
The facility will be staffed around the clock by trained behavioral health, medical, and recovery professionals.
Safe and Orderly Operations
The facility will maintain clear operational protocols to support a calm, structured, and professionally managed environment.
No Loitering. Period.
The program will not permit loitering and will support timely, safe discharge planning and transportation coordination.
No Client Parking On Site
Clients will not use the facility as a place to store vehicles, reducing traffic and parking impacts on nearby streets.
Controlled Access and Supervision
The site will operate with structured intake, monitored movement, and active staff supervision throughout the facility.
Ongoing Neighborhood Communication
Horizon will provide a point of contact for community questions and concerns and remain available to respond as issues arise.
Coordination With Public Agencies
Horizon will continue coordinating with appropriate county, city, public safety, and emergency response partners as part of responsible operations.
Commitment to Responsiveness
If operational concerns emerge, Horizon will review them promptly and make reasonable adjustments where needed to support good neighbor practices.
Our Commitment to Transparency
We are committed to providing clear, accurate, and up-to-date information, and providing timely responses to questions we receive from community members.
Beginning Wednesday, May 6, we’re hosting Virtual Office Hours from noon to 1 P.M. on Zoom. During Virtual Office Hours, we’ll take questions and review our Community FAQ in real time.
Ask Questions. Share feedback.
Community input is an important part of this process. We are committed to ongoing dialogue and ensuring residents have access to information and opportunities to engage. We review submissions regularly and use feedback to inform updates and communication.
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Experienced. Trusted Community-focused.
Horizon Treatment Services is a long-standing nonprofit provider of behavioral health and substance use treatment services in California, with decades of experience serving individuals and communities.
Horizon operates programs across the Bay Area and has deep experience delivering sobering services, detox and withdrawal management, and residential treatment programs.
We work in partnership with counties, healthcare providers, and public agencies to expand access to care and improve community health outcomes. The proposed San Mateo facility builds on this experience and reflects a broader effort to strengthen the region’s behavioral health system.