The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is scheduled on Tuesday to discuss plans for a youth inpatient psychiatric hospital, which could fill a chronic unmet need in the region.

The board is set to review a feasibility study on a hospital facility, located on the Valley Medical Center campus, that would provide inpatient mental health services for children ages 6 to 17. The services are critical for youth experiencing a mental health crisis, but families seeking inpatient care today have to travel long distances -- in some cases to Sacramento or beyond -- because Santa Clara County has no such facility.

Early estimates show it would cost $222 million to build the proposed facility, which would likely open in late 2023. Santa Clara County Board President Joe Simitian said in a statement that the hefty price tag is a "significant capital investment," but a worthwhile investment in youth emotional wellbeing.

"I'm pleased that access to quality mental health care, particularly for children in crisis, is a clear priority for our board," Simitian said in the statement.

The feasibility study proposes replacing the existing "Don Lowe Pavilion" on the southern end of the medical center campus with a facility that provides 24 inpatient beds, split into two units for young children and adolescents, along with a new Emergency Psychiatric Services (EPS) Department. The EPS department would serve children as well as adults, but in separate suites adjoined in the same building.