County behavioral health staff met this week with members of the Mental Health Client Action Network board of directors, who say they want to resume services within six months — but need to get past obligations paid first. On Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors took steps to prepare for homelessness nonprofit Housing Matters ending its day services in March, particularly the mail services that are a lifeline for many vulnerable residents.
MHCAN
Coverage of Santa Cruz’s Mental Health Client Advocacy Network.
Posted inLatest News
MHCAN failed to properly invoice county for ‘significant’ amount of money before closure
Santa Cruz County officials shed new light on why the Mental Health Client Action Network abruptly closed in August.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County supervisors fund X-ray center for another year but budget cuts loom
Santa Cruz County will outsource its blood draw services to Quest Diagnostics while temporarily saving public radiology with $400,000 from reserves, highlighting deepening strain on local safety-net health care.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
A key Santa Cruz mental health service closed amid funding turmoil and months of missed paychecks
After winning county funding this summer, Santa Cruz’s Mental Health Client Action Network abruptly closed, leaving unpaid staff in crisis as leaders cite financial turmoil, leadership struggles and stalled reimbursements.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County homeless services dealt double blow as MHCAN, Downtown Streets Team abruptly shutter
Santa Cruz’s homeless services network faces new uncertainty as the Mental Health Client Advocacy Network abruptly closed “until further notice” and Downtown Streets Team announced plans to shut down statewide this fall.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Most health agency layoffs delayed after county lawmakers eke out budget compromise
Santa Cruz County lawmakers put off impending layoffs for at least three more months after they reached an agreement to extend some health care services that were proposed for closure.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
For Santa Cruz’s most vulnerable, this peer-run clubhouse is a lifeline. Now the county could take it away.
The Mental Health Client Action Network has, for decades, helped people reclaim their lives through a peer-run, clubhouse-style service center. Now, MHCAN might not make it through summer as a tight budget has the Santa Cruz County government threatening to pull funding, a decision that would permanently shutter the organization.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County lawmakers bemoan erosion of social safety as state cuts, Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ budget bill progress
Santa Cruz County faces deep cuts to health and housing programs as state and federal budget proposals threaten critical funding, compounding local strains such as FEMA’s $90 million unpaid disaster tab. Officials warn more service reductions could follow later this year.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County recommends 28 nonprofit programs to split $3.44 million in funding
Santa Cruz County has chosen 28 community-based organizations to receive a total of $3.44 million over the next three years. They were chosen from a pool of about 100 applications for funding of programs whose mission is to “achieve equitable health and well-being” for county residents. An additional $1.2 million designated for funding community nonprofits has yet to be allocated.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County’s CORE Investments to fund 57 public service programs out of 127 that applied
The three-year grant cycle aims to address changing — and growing — social services needs throughout Santa Cruz County. There’s never enough money for all applicants, and this year the county board of supervisors applied some new priorities.