COLTON COURIER Weekly
May 28, 2026
Vol 154, NO. 27
Colton Children’s Psychiatric Facility to More Than Double Inland Empire Bed Capacity Amid Statewide Shortage
IECN.com
Inside San Bernardino’s National Orange Show Sports Center Horse Racing Experience Pg. 3
PHOTO VBH Local officials, View Behavioral Health leaders and UC Riverside representatives gather for the ribbon cutting of View Behavioral Health Colton Children’s, a new 52-bed inpatient psychiatric facility designed to expand care for children and adolescents in the Inland Empire.
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iew Behavioral Health (VBH), a southern California-based behavioral health organization, announces the completion of View Behavioral Health Colton Children’s (VBHCC), a new 52-bed inpatient Psychiatric Health Facility for children and adolescents. VBHCC is the largest facility of its kind in the Inland Empire and will more than double the region’s inpatient psychiatric bed capacity for individuals
PHOTO VBH View Behavioral Health Colton Children’s, located at 1280 E. Cooley Drive in Colton, will more than double the Inland Empire’s inpatient psychiatric bed capacity for children and adolescents once licensing and accreditation are complete.
under 18 as a statewide, multiyear shortage persists. The milestone was celebrated at a ribbon cutting ceremony today with San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. and City of Colton Mayor Frank J. Navarro in addition to leaders of University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) School of Medicine and UC Riverside Health. “California’s inpatient psychiatric bed capacity for children and adolescents is severely limited and unevenly distributed, and we must do all that we can to increase
access to behavioral health resources for these future generations,” said Jack Stephens, CEO of View Behavioral Health. “This facility will expand the Inland Empire's total inpatient psychiatric bed capacity for this population by more than 55% and help address the broader statewide shortage of beds.” According to the California Hospital Association, there were 7.6 inpatient psychiatric beds per 100,000 children/adolesBehavioral Health, cont. next pg.
San Bernardino Valley College Foundation Sets Record with $882,000 in Scholarships Awarded During College's Centennial Year 15 Inland Empire Nonprofits Honored at State Capitol as California Nonprofits of the Year Pg. 4
San Bernardino County UPK Programs Help Children Build Confidence Before Kindergarten Pg. 5 Inland Empire Community Newspapers Office: (909) 381-9898 Editorial: iecn1@mac.com Advertising: iecn1@mac.com Legals : iecnlegals@gmail.com
PHOTO ANGEL CASTILLO More than 1,500 graduates earned degrees at SBVC’s centennial commencement ceremony on May 16, 2026, the highest number in the college's 100-year history.
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n a milestone that reflects a century of commitment to student success, the San Bernardino Valley College Foundation awarded more than $882,000 in scholarships — the most in its history — at its annual scholarship ceremony on May 7, 2026. The record-breaking award comes as SBVC celebrates its centennial year, marking 100 years of expanding access to higher education in the Inland Empire.
A total of 638 SBVC students received scholarships in the 2025-26 academic year, including funding from the two-year pilot ValleyUp2CSUSB program for students committed to enrolling at Cal State San Bernardino. The record scholarship total follows the Foundation’s most successful fundraising event in college history: the Centennial Gala on March 27, which raised more than $1 million. In addition to the scholarship awards, the Foundation distributed over $20,000 in other student support.
“Your college community is proud of you. Tonight is not the end of your journey – it is a reminder of what you have already overcome and what you are still capable of achieving,” said Foundation Executive Director Michael Layne. The ceremony showcased the resilience and determination of SBVC’s student body. Many recipients juggled work, family obligations, and other challenges while attending classes. Mercie Ramirez, who is SBVC Foundation, cont. next pg.