CALIFORNIA CELEBRATES THE GROUNDBREAKING OF NEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER IN WATSONVILLE
Behavioral Health Services Expanding to 1,300 More Community Members Annually
SACRAMENTO — On June 21, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and
Encompass Community Services celebrated the groundbreaking of the new
Sí Se Puede Behavioral Health Center. This innovative center will expand mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for youth and young adults in the Santa Cruz area. DHCS awarded Encompass more than $9.3 million through the
Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) to build this center that will address gaps in behavioral health care.
(Groundbreaking for Sí Se Puede Behavioral Health Center) With the recently approved Proposition 1 bonds, in 2025 and 2026, even more behavioral health treatment facilities will be funded and built.
“Addressing behavioral health issues early is crucial for ensuring a long, healthy life," said
DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “Holistic, youth-centered community organizations like Encompass play a critical role in this effort. We are pleased to support Encompass and their new state-of-the-art treatment facility."
“For 50 years, Encompass has provided high-quality, person-centered behavioral health care services to our community," said
Encompass CEO Monica Martinez. “The new Sí Se Puede Center allows us to continue to deliver on our mission of health equity for all through the expansion of both residential and outpatient treatment services for youth and adults. At Encompass, we believe everyone should have the benefit of a long and healthy life."
This construction effort, an element of the
Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, is a historic investment by the Newsom Administration that provides grant funding to local governments, businesses, nonprofits, and tribal organizations to construct new facilities and expand existing facilities that help children, youth, young adults, and pregnant or postpartum individuals and their families with mental health and/or substance use disorders. The building of new behavioral health centers is a key component of
California's Mental Health for All Initiative.
ENCOMPASS TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH CAPACITY EXPANSION PROJECT: Encompass' Sí Se Puede Center will provide multiple treatment services, including American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Level 1 Outpatient Treatment and Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) services for opioid use disorder, Driving Under the Influence/Drinking Driver treatment programs ranging from six weeks to 18 months, and family-based treatment. The center's community classroom offers prevention, education, wellness, and recovery support programming for youth and families.
The center will include two facilities: an adult residential treatment facility for SUD treatment and recovery with 30 beds, including seven reserved for transition-age youth, and an outpatient SUD treatment facility that will offer a medical clinic and full spectrum of therapy and treatment spaces. Both facilities are projected to serve an additional 1,300 community members each year.
Encompass' Sí Se Puede residential program has a rich history in the Santa Cruz community. The program, led by Latinx staff with lived experience, has served thousands of community members on their healing journey since the early 1990s. The Spanish term, “Sí Se Puede" translates to “Yes, you can," which will continue to serve as the program's mantra for client recovery and the journey to better health.
Other services offered at the new behavioral health center will include one-on-one sessions, group and family-based treatment options that integrate motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and relapse prevention services. Encompass' Sí Se Puede Center received funding through BHCIP Round 4: Children and Youth.
WHY BHCIP IS IMPORTANT: Through BHCIP, DHCS competitively awards eligible entities funding to construct, acquire, and expand properties and invest in mobile crisis infrastructure to further expand the range of community-based behavioral health treatment options for people with mental health and substance use disorders. BHCIP aims to address historic gaps in the behavioral health care system and meet the growing demand for services and support throughout the lifespan of people in need.
DHCS was authorized through 2021 legislation to award $2.2 billion in BHCIP competitive grants. In addition, DHCS will distribute roughly $4 billion in BHCIP grants under Proposition 1 bond funds.
Behavioral Health Transformation is DHCS' work to implement
Proposition 1. DHCS holds regular public listening sessions. Updates and recordings of the sessions are available on the
Behavioral Health Transformation webpage.
ABOUT BHCIP ROUND 4: CHILDREN AND YOUTH:BHCIP Round 4 focused on Californians ages 25 and younger, including pregnant and postpartum women and their children and youth ages 16-25, along with their families. The 52 awards totaling $480.5 million allowed for new construction and expansion of multiple outpatient and residential facility types, including children's crisis residential programs, perinatal residential substance use disorder facilities, community wellness/youth prevention centers, and outpatient treatment for substance use disorders. Please see the
BHCIP website for more information about grant recipients and additional details about all BHCIP funding rounds.