$1.87M Kaiser Permanente grants support mental health, housing.

To help increase access to mental health care in Santa Cruz County, Kaiser Permanente is providing support for a new behavioral center in Watsonville that will increase access to substance abuse treatment and other outpatient programs and services.

The $200,000 grant to support the construction of Encompass Community Services’ Sí Se Puede behavioral health center is one of 10 grants totaling $1.87 million Kaiser Permanente is providing in the Santa Cruz County area.

“Through this grant, Kaiser Permanente is making a significant investment in our community's future,” said Monica Martinez, CEO of Encompass Community Services, a nonprofit organization that provides behavioral health services, early childhood education, housing and other family and social well-being programs. “We are incredibly grateful for Kaiser Permanente's support, and more importantly, their commitment to and investment in advancing health equity in our community.”

Kaiser Permanente is also supporting other nonprofit organizations in Santa Cruz County including:

• Housing Matters will receive $500,000 to help fund 120 studio apartments for chronically homeless individuals who will have on-site access to 24-hours-a-day support services.
• Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz will receive $150,000 over the next two years to help support safety net clinics responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will ensure equitable testing, treatment, and provide COVID-19 vaccinations for low-income and undocumented residents.
• Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County’s South County Family Health Initiative (SCFH) will receive $150,000 over the next two years to help 100 low-income families and young adults disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The funding will be used to increase access to mental health services, federal food programs, and educational services.
• Community Bridges’ Building Strong Foundations for Families (BSFF) will receive $150,000 to increase access to mental health and social services for the underrepresented Latinx community. In addition to offering mental health and wellness services, BSFF will also provide support to those needing access to local, state and federal social services.
• First 5 Santa Cruz County will receive $80,000 to provide Medi-Cal enrollment assistance to mothers and their newborns, linking them to services before they leave the hospital.
• Salud Para La Gente will receive $150,000 to provide farmworkers and immigrants with preventive health care, and COVID-19 outreach, education and vaccines.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County will receive $300,000 to provide food directly to families in need and help them sign up for CalFresh food aid.
• United Way of Santa Cruz County will receive $100,000 to support an information and referral service that connects people to health and social services.
• Dientes Community Dental Care will receive $85,000 to provide dental care for low-income and homeless people and their children.

“We are proud to support organizations in Santa Cruz County that are focused on improving the health of the community,” said William MacLean, MD, physician in charge of the Kaiser Permanente Santa Cruz County. “We know the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased need for mental health and other social services, and we want to ensure everyone has the access they need to stay healthy.”

Since first opening in Santa Cruz County in 2017, Kaiser Permanente has made it a priority to support organizations focused on increasing access to mental health care. Kaiser Permanente believes mental health and well-being are essential to total health, and remains committed to helping our communities stay mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy.

Encompass Community Services’ new Sí Se Puede behavioral health center will increase access to substance abuse and recovery through residential and outpatient programs that support a continuum of integrated, comprehensive services. The new behavioral health center will expand the Encompass residential and outpatient substance use disorder and mental health capacity by 30 percent.

“We expect to serve more than 1,300 community members annually in an inviting, state-of-the-art facility that promotes healing,” Martinez said.