Santa Cruz Local

Responses to mental health crises are set to change in Santa Cruz County with a new 988 system as an alternative to 911. Non-police responses are expected to be dispatched through the system, and advocates say the 24-hour, non-police system is overdue. Santa Cruz Local’s Stephen Baxter talks to Assemblymember Mark Stone, advocate Jeffrey Arlt and others about the mental health crisis response in the county now and its shortcomings. Some potential solutions may come from Santa Cruz County’s Mobile Emergency Response Team at 1-800-952-2335 and Alameda County’s Community Assessment and Transport Team.

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Read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/06/11/podcast-reshaping-mental-health-crisis-response-in-santa-cruz-county/

Santa Cruz Local’s mental health crisis resources page: https://santacruzlocal.org/resources/crisis/

Call MERT: 1-800-952-2335

Read more in Santa Cruz Local’s Police Reform Series:

Podcast Ep. 81: Reducing harm in Santa Cruz County Law Enforcement : https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/07/15/podcast-ep-81-reducing-harm-in-santa-cruz-county-law-enforcement/

How Alameda County addresses mental health crisis response (May 20, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/05/20/how-alameda-county-addresses-mental-health-crisis-response/

New committees address police reform in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County (Feb. 19, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/02/19/new-committees-address-police-reform-in-watsonville-santa-cruz-county/

Data special: Trends in Watsonville crime, police work, funding (April 1, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/04/01/data-special-trends-in-watsonville-crime-police-work-funding/

Police Reform Series: State bill sets stage for new mental health crisis hotline (May 13, 2021): https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/05/13/state-bill-sets-stage-for-new-mental-health-crisis-hotline/

Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council will consider a proposed law that aims to prevent large homeless camps by limiting where and when people can camp and requiring most tents to be removed each morning. We explain the proposal. And we hear from three Santa Cruz residents who are homeless. We hear their stories: their goals, their barriers and their thoughts about the proposed law.

Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward

Read the transcript to this episode, with a map of where camping would be allowed: https://santacruzlocal.org/

Read Santa Cruz Local’s story on the proposal and residents’ views: https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/10/santa-cruz-city-homeless-rules-to-be-reconsidered-in-april/

Comment to the city council on the proposal: Email [email protected] by 5 p.m. Monday.

Zoom link for the city council meeting 5:30 p.m. Tuesday: https://zoom.us/j/94684401344

Call into the meeting: 1-833-548-0276 and enter the meeting ID 946 8440 1344.

Read the draft law: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20612766-santa-cruz-homeless-law-draft-ordinance-20210413

Read recent public comment on the proposed law: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20612764-santa-cruz-homeless-law-public-correspondence-20210409

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a need for mental health services in Santa Cruz County’s public schools. We hear from a director at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education about virtual mentoring, an approach that has shown promise in addressing student mental health needs. We discuss how it works and where it falls short. This episode is the third in Santa Cruz Local’s Distance Learning Series.

Listen to part one of this series: Ep. 89 Public education money, COVID and the power of Santa Cruz County school boards https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/01/31/podcast-public-education-money-covid-and-the-power-of-santa-cruz-county-school-boards/

Listen to part two of this series: Ep. 90 Student mental health needs in Santa Cruz County, part 1

https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/23/podcast-student-mental-health-and-stress-in-santa-cruz-county-part-1/

Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward

Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/

Take Santa Cruz Local's survey on education: https://santacruzlocal.org/schools

Santa Cruz County mental health resources: Call or text 211 or visit https://www.211santacruzcounty.org/mental-healthx/

For counseling: Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, 831-728-6445 or https://www.pvpsa.org/

For counseling: Encompass, 831-429-8350 or https://www.encompasscs.org/youth_services_counseling

Anyone who is contemplating suicide or has lost someone to suicide can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

Were some COVID-19 deaths preventable in Santa Cruz County long-term care facilities? This episode investigates why some senior homes — which had more than half of the COVID deaths in the county — waited for vaccines through January while others received vaccines. Separately, the episode includes a conversation with contributing reporter Jerimiah Oetting and Santa Cruz Local's Kara Meyberg Guzman and Stephen Baxter about whether new housing means more water demand in Santa Cruz County.

Read the stories:

"Vaccines came slowly for the most vulnerable in Santa Cruz County": https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/03/vaccines-came-slowly-for-most-vulnerable-in-santa-cruz-county/

"Does more housing mean more water demand in Santa Cruz County?": https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/02/15/does-more-housing-mean-more-water-demand-in-santa-cruz-county/

Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward

Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/

Many students in Santa Cruz County feel stressed and disconnected after months of online-only school. We hear from three Aptos High students about their social and emotional well-being needs. A program administrator responds to these stories and shares tips on how adults can help. This episode is the second in Santa Cruz Local’s Distance Learning series.

Listen to part one of this series: Public education money, COVID and the power of Santa Cruz County school boards https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/01/31/podcast-public-education-money-covid-and-the-power-of-santa-cruz-county-school-boards/

Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward

Read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/2021/03/23/podcast-student-mental-health-and-stress-in-santa-cruz-county-part-1/

Take Santa Cruz Local's survey on education: https://santacruzlocal.org/schools

Santa Cruz County mental health resources: https://www.211santacruzcounty.org/mental-healthx/

Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance: 831-728-6445 or https://www.pvpsa.org/

Connect to a mental health provider: Call 211.

Anyone who is contemplating suicide or has lost someone to suicide can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

This episode is the first in Santa Cruz Local's Distance Learning series. Today we explore how the state's public education system is organized and funded, and how decisions are made. Many of you wanted to know: How can students, parents and teachers make their voice heard in such a huge, complicated system? We hear from former county superintendent Michael Watkins and state Sen. John Laird on the governor's school reopening plan and how to get involved.

Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. We're in your inbox two to three times a week: https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward

Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/

Take Santa Cruz Local's survey on education: https://santacruzlocal.org/schools

Learn how to participate in the state senate budget subcommittee on education: https://sbud.senate.ca.gov/subcommittee1

Email state Sen. John Laird: [email protected]

In the wake of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in Santa Cruz County, this episode explores forest management policies in the state and county. It also looks at the role of prescribed burns in land management in the county, and a new Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association.

Support local journalism with a Santa Cruz Local membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local's free newsletter. We're in your inbox two to three times a week: https://mailchi.mp/santacruzlocal/forward

Santa Cruz Local members, read the transcript to this episode: https://santacruzlocal.org/

Learn about Nature Conservancy training burns: https://tinyurl.com/trex21

Contact the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association: [email protected], https://calpba.org/

Santa Cruz Local presses the Santa Cruz City Council candidates on the priorities we heard from residents: housing and homelessness. We meet eight of the nine city council candidates: Martine Watkins, Sandy Brown, Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson, Kelsey Hill, Kayla Kumar, Maria Cadenas, Elizabeth Conlan and Sonja Brunner. Voters will pick four.

Read the transcript: https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/10/18/podcast-vote-nov-3-santa-cruz-city-council/

Read Santa Cruz Local’s elections guide: https://santacruzlocal.org/elections/

Support Santa Cruz Local’s journalism with a membership: https://santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter: https://santacruzlocal.org/free-newsletter-local-news/

Santa Cruz Local presses the five Watsonville City Council candidates on the priorities we heard from residents: affordable housing development, city-sponsored youth programs, the high cost of rent and more. We break down the differences between District 2 candidates Aurelio Gonzalez and Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, District 6 candidates Jimmy Dutra and Tony Gomez, and District 1 candidate Eduardo Montesino.

View the maps of the Watsonville City Council districts: https://santacruzlocal.org/elections/

Read the transcript: https://santacruzlocal.org/2020/10/14/podcast-vote-nov-3-watsonville-city-council/

Read Santa Cruz Local's elections guide: santacruzlocal.org/elections/

Support Santa Cruz Local’s journalism with a membership: santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter: santacruzlocal.org/free-newsletter-local-news/

If you’re a voter in Live Oak, Pleasure Point, Soquel, western Capitola or the Santa Cruz Mountains north of Soquel, you’ll vote on the District 1 Santa Cruz County supervisors race. But even if you don’t live in the district, this race still matters to you. The decisions of the board of supervisors affect the entire county. We press incumbent John Leopold and challenger Manu Koenig on the priorities we heard from District 1 residents.

A map of Santa Cruz County's District 1: https://beta.documentcloud.org/documents/7016018-Supervisorial-District-1

Read the transcript: santacruzlocal.org

Read Santa Cruz Local's elections guide: santacruzlocal.org/elections/

Register for Santa Cruz Local’s upcoming candidate forums: santacruzlocal.org/events/

Support Santa Cruz Local’s journalism with a membership: santacruzlocal.org/membership/

Subscribe to Santa Cruz Local’s free email newsletter: santacruzlocal.org/free-newsletter-local-news/