A Heart For Those Struggling With Substance Use Disorder.

Our Board

Sandra Fair

Board of Directors

Sandra A. Fair is the former chief of behavioral health operations for the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA), where she led publicly funded mental health and substance use programs serving Orange County’s 3.2 million residents. During her 30-year career in public health and behavioral health leadership, she managed a $220 million budget, directed a workforce of 840 clinical, medical, and paraprofessional staff, and developed evidence-based policies and programs that transformed behavioral health services in the county.

As chief of behavioral health operations, Ms. Fair directed services for more than 64,000 people annually receiving mental health and substance use treatment. She expanded community-based programs, integrated mental health and substance use services, and improved care accessibility for vulnerable populations. Under her leadership, HCA enhanced intensive services to reduce reliance on acute inpatient care, implemented a countywide behavioral health management information system, and strengthened compliance with state and federal healthcare regulations.

Ms. Fair also played a pivotal role in criminal justice and addiction policy reform, spearheading initiatives such as the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act (SACPA), which provided treatment in lieu of incarceration for more than 6,400 probationers and parolees. She expanded adult drug court programs, increasing treatment capacity by 30 percent while reducing recidivism. She also developed in-custody substance use treatment programs and secured state and federal funding to enhance behavioral health services.

Following her retirement, Ms. Fair continued working with HCA as a contractor, serving in interim leadership roles for medical services in Orange County jails and HCA Contract Services. She authored major county reports, including the Orange County Drug Medi-Cal Plan and the County of Orange Opioid Strategic Plan, shaping the county’s approach to substance use prevention and treatment. Ms. Fair also served as consultant to Phoenix House California, ensuring compliance with Drug Medi-Cal regulations, and subsequently served as the Interim president and CEO of the organization.

She has served on the California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions Board of Directors, the Orange County Mental Health Services Act Steering Committee, and previously held leadership roles in the County Alcohol and Drug Program Administrators Association of California (CADPAAC), the California Association of Drug Court Professionals, and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.

Throughout her career, Ms. Fair has been committed to advancing behavioral health policy, integrating public health strategies, and developing programs that improve access to care for underserved populations.