CASA DE ESPERANZA COMPLETED HOME FOR MENTALLY ILL OPENS 3 MONTHS EARLY.Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer CAMARILLO - Ventura County officials are celebrating the opening of Casa de Esperanza, a new home for the mentally ill that was built and donated do·nate v. do·nat·ed, do·nat·ing, do·nates v.tr. To present as a gift to a fund or cause; contribute. v.intr. To make a contribution to a fund or cause. to the county by Lake Sherwood There are four places in the United States called '''Lake Sherwood:
Murdock, who is owner of Castle & Cooke Inc. and Dole Foods Co. Inc., built the $4.5 million complex at 1750 S. Lewis Road and signed it over to the county Wednesday. Castle & Cooke broke ground in March and completed Casa de Esperanza three months ahead of schedule. ``I can't stop smiling,'' said Kathy Long, chairwoman of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors The examples and perspective in this article or section may represent an unduly geographically limited view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. The Board of Supervisors is the body governing counties in the U.S. at the opening ceremonies Wednesday. ``This is a house of hope that is really a miracle. The seed was planted by David Murdock. He saw the need and saw the solution. The project was completed in lightning speed.'' Carolyn Briggs, program administrator for the Ventura County Behavioral Health Behavioral health was first used in the 1980's to name the combination of the fields mental health and substance abuse. As an example, an organization serving both mental health and substance abuse clients might refer to its practice as behavioral health or Department, said she was amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. at how beautiful the project is with its pale yellow buildings, including housing units and community room on 2.75 landscaped acres. ``It is of such high quality and it was done so quickly. No one believed in March this would be completed by the end of the year. To be done three months early is absolutely incredible.'' Murdock took a hands-on approach, even having a rose garden similar to one at his own home built at the entrance to the Case de Esperanza community building. Each of the three housing complexes has 15 private rooms for a total of 45 mentally ill adults. Residents will move in beginning Nov. 1. Briggs said Casa de Esperanza will allow mentally ill people now being housed outside Ventura County to return home and be closer to their families, making it easier for them to transition back to normal lives in the community. The complex was built on land owned by Ventura County about a quarter-mile north of California State University, Channel Islands California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) is a university located in Camarillo, California, in California's Ventura County. CSUCI opened in 2002 as the twenty-third campus in the California State University system, succeeding the Ventura County branch campus of . The university is on the site of the former Camarillo State Mental Hospital Camarillo State Mental Hospital, also known as Camarillo State Hospital, or CSH, was a psychiatric hospital for both developmentally disabled and mentally ill patients in Camarillo, California. The hospital closed in 1997. , which was closed in 1997. In the community room at the ceremonies Wednesday was an exhibit of paintings done by mentally ill people in Ventura County. ``There are a lot of people who are very disadvantaged and we want to give them more than housing,'' Murdock said when he signed over the complex to the county. ``We want to give them guidance and an environment that is conducive con·du·cive adj. Tending to cause or bring about; contributive: working conditions not conducive to productivity. See Synonyms at favorable. to their success and self-respect.'' ``One of my hobbies is gardening and I intend to help the people who live here plant gardens. I like to see a seed go in the ground and grow,'' he said, explaining how gardening helps give people a feeling of success. ``We all have trouble being successful,'' he said. ``Success is a habit. You create it.'' Eric Leach, (805) 583-7602 eric.leach(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Visitors tour Casa de Esperanza, a newly built home for the mentally ill in Camarillo, on Wednesday. The facility, built by billionaire David Murdock and turned over to the county for operation, will welcome its first residents beginning Nov. 1. (2 -- color) Ventura County Supervisor Judy Mikels, left, laughs at a joke by David Murdock, center, chairman and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Castle & Cooke Inc. and Dole Food Co. Inc., who signs over ownership of Casa de Esperanza to the county. Michael Owen
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