The Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Division and Community Foundation Santa Cruz County have announced the first round of organizations that will receive funding as part of the region’s Opioid Settlement Funds Community Grant Program. The organizations received over $3.6 million in requests for a total of $810,000 available this fiscal year.
Seven organizations received funding:
- Encompass Community Services will receive over $97,000 for its Zero Overdose program.
- The Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County will receive nearly $219,000 for the Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative and a medication-assisted therapy advisory group.
- The Homeless Garden Project will receive over $47,000 for an employment program for people in recovery.
- Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance and Barrios Unidos will each receive $50,000 for opioid awareness and youth outreach work.
- Santa Cruz Community Health will receive over $286,000 for adolescent opioid-use disorder screening, prevention, treatment and recovery, and the Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative.
- Siena House will receive $60,000 to expand residential and aftercare programs for women at risk of or experiencing substance-use disorders.
“While these grants mark an important step in addressing the opioid epidemic in Santa Cruz County, we recognize that the complexity of opioid-related harm in our community requires continuous oversight, collaboration, and adaptability,” said Health Services Agency Director Monica Morales. “We are committed to maintaining strong partnerships with these organizations and the wider community, continuously learning and refining our approach to ensure the most effective response.”
Community-based organizations began pitching projects for funding in May as part of the process to spend $26 million in opioid settlement funds that will flow into Santa Cruz County incrementally over the next 18 years. The money comes as a result of a lawsuit against opioid distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies for their roles in the ongoing opioid addiction epidemic.
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