Attorney General Bonta Conditionally Approves Sale of St. John of God Health Care Services’ Victorville Property to San Bernardino County

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced his conditional approval of the sale of St. John of God Health Care Services’ Victorville facility to San Bernardino County. The facility is the only one offering substance use disorder treatment and recovery services in the High Desert region in Southern California. The conditional approval also approves Phoenix House Orange County, Inc. as the new operator of the property starting January 1, 2024. Under California law, any transaction involving the sale or transfer of control of a nonprofit healthcare facility must secure the approval of the Attorney General.
 
“St. John’s Victorville facility provides invaluable substance use disorder treatment services for communities in the High Desert region,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Its patients deserve continued access to the care and treatment they need in order to heal, and live happy, healthy lives. After a thorough review process, I am confident that the conditions I have imposed on the sale will protect the well-being of the residents and ensure that their access to these critical services and care remains uninterrupted.”
 
St. John of God Health Care Services is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation licensed to accommodate up to 66 treatment/recovery patients. Phoenix House is a nonprofit drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization operating nationwide, including in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

As part of his conditional approval, Attorney General Bonta has imposed specific conditions for the proposed sale including:

• Maintaining, at a minimum, the same type and level of services being provided to residents.
• Certification to provide services to Medi-Cal patients.
• Maintaining and continuing to employ staff who are in good standing.
• Complying with nondiscrimination rules in the provision of services.

The California Department of Justice’s Healthcare Rights and Access Section (HRA) works proactively to increase and protect the affordability, accessibility, and quality of healthcare in California. HRA’s attorneys monitor and contribute to various areas of the Attorney General’s healthcare work, including nonprofit health facility transactions; consumer rights; anticompetitive consolidation in the healthcare market; anticompetitive drug pricing; privacy issues; civil rights, such as health equity, reproductive rights and LGBTQ healthcare-related rights; and public health work on tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other products.
 
A copy of the conditional approval letter is available here.