Programs & Partnerships
Local Hospitals
SCCH has formal agreements with our local hospitals (Sutter/Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Dignity Health, Kaiser Permanente) that provide access to specialty care services.
Community Service Organization Partnerships
Santa Cruz Community Health has partnerships with a broad range of community services organizations, enabling us to connect patients to services and supports that impact social determinants of health.
SCCH has outreach and cross-referral partnerships with programs serving low income and working poor families, including Community Bridges WIC program, Live Oak Family Resource Center, Davenport Family Resource Center, Familia Center, Mountain Family Resource Center, Walnut Avenue Women’s Center domestic violence services, Second Harvest Food Bank, and First 5 Triple P Program.
SCCH also works with the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department’s Benefits Collaborative to ensure best-practice strategies are implemented to maximize enrollment in health coverage and other benefits.
Live Oak Cradle to Career (C2C)
Since 2013, SCCH has provided leadership to the Live Oak Cradle to Career initiative (C2C). This is a collaborative approach to improving the health and educational outcomes of Live Oak students and families. The partnership includes district Supervisor John Leopold, Community Foundation, County Health & Human Services, Encompass, First 5, Live Oak Community Resources, and the Live Oak School District. The initiative has prioritized family engagement through the development of a Parent Leadership Committee which co-designs and co-leads C2C. Programs responsive to parents interests have included Triple P parenting workshops, nutrition education, English language classes, Zumba, and advocacy and leadership training.
A long-term set of outcomes and indicators has been established and the School District continues to take on a larger ownership role of the initiative.
Watch our short overview video about the C2C Program
Community Care Teams
In addition to support of the above, and as fiscal sponsor to C2C, SCCH has also been leading the development of a Community Care Team that unites clinic staff (medical, behavioral health) and our affiliated Stanford development-behavioral specialist, with school staff (teachers, counselor, psychologist) to consult on children with high risk needs. Through a combined case conference, including voice recordings of parents expressing their concerns for their children, this cross-sector team can piece together the behavior and experiences of the child to build a shared Care Plan. That Care Plan includes information heretofore inaccessible to the pediatrician via a basic medical encounter. Similarly, the advice of expert clinicians has been unattainable by school personnel. Early case conferences have focused on parental wellness and the treatment and educational placement of a child with autism.
Watch our Community Care Teams video – produced by Center for Care Innovations
Homeless Service Partnerships
SCCH has strong working relationships with all the homeless service providers in the service area, including the following:
- Housing Matters emergency and transitional housing, recuperative care center, and intensive services to connect the most vulnerable homeless people to permanent housing;
- Encompass housing and behavioral health services;
- Pajaro Valley Shelter Services emergency shelter, transitional housing and case management for homeless women and children;
- Jesus, Mary and Joseph Home shelter for women, children and people with terminal illnesses;
- New Life Community Services substance abuse treatment, sober living homes and’s family emergency shelter; and
- Interfaith Satellite Shelter winter shelter and meal program.
Santa Cruz Community Health- Food Distribution Program
SCCH operates a Food Distribution Program in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County. The program, which started in 2015, provides free food to patients and the community. Everyone is welcome. There are no eligibility requirements.
The Food Distribution Program is offered every Wednesday from 3:00-4:30pm at the Live Oak Health Center, 1510 Capitola Road. Food is provided in a walk-up style distribution.
Throughout the year, SCCH hosts “Special” Distribution days, inviting community partners (Bike Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Santa Cruz County Health Department, Dientes, First 5) to share resources, information, used books, and bikes for local families. Other distributions include Holiday Frozen Chickens in November and December.
The Food Distribution Program is run by SCCH’s Outreach & Enrollment Team with the help of wonderful volunteers from the community, interns, SCCH Staff and Board Members.
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