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Santa Cruz County Health Overview



California Local Pin Marker Get To Know A Group

The Katz Cancer Resource Center, affiliated with Dominican Hospital, provides resources for patients in need of oncology support services.

California Local Pin Marker Local Health Digest

California Promised to Boost Mental Health in Schools. Why One Key Program Is Behind Schedule

05/07/2025

Only 14 school districts and county offices of education have begun billing for behavioral health services under the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative Fee Schedule Program, according to state health officials.

Kaiser in the Hot Seat as California Lawmakers Blast Company for Skipping Mental Health Hearing

05/06/2025

California lawmakers called an informational hearing on mental health services at Kaiser Permanente, but the company didn’t attend.

California Local Pin Marker Recent Articles

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
New Logo, New Chapter: Watsonville Community Hospital Looks Ahead With Purpose

There’s something powerful about a fresh start—especially when it’s backed by real progress, deep community roots, and a bold vision for the future.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Labor Leader Dolores Huerta Calls for End to Pesticides in Pajaro Valley

At a rally in Watsonville on Saturday, labor activist Dolores Huerta calls on Driscoll’s and other growers to stop using pesticides because of health harms to workers and residents. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)
WATSONVILLE >> With a backdrop …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Speaking Out Against Pesticide Use

Prominent farmworker activist and organizer Dolores Huerta joined several other speakers at a public meeting in Watsonville Saturday to raise awareness about the dangers of agricultural pesticide use on farmworkers, children, consumers and residents throughout Santa Cruz county.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Local Nonprofits Combine Forces to Combat Federal Cuts

Before the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, roughly 18% of Santa Cruz County residents lacked health insurance. After it was signed into law, that number dropped to 6%.

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley High School to Celebrate 25 Years With Special Gala

Think back 25 years ago to 2000: the first camera phone debuted (the J-SH04, with a ferocious 0.1-megapixel resolution); the clothing brand Hollister was introduced; the fourth book in the “Harry Potter” series, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
The Santa Cruz Farmers’ Market Scene: A Feast for the Senses

Supporting our local economy by shopping at stores that carry locally produced goods is good for the community and the environment. And in the case of farmers markets, your health as well.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Community Rallies Against Proposed Battery Storage Facility in Watsonville

A grassroots movement of citizens concerned about the construction of a new battery storage facility in Watsonville held a public meeting on Monday evening to discuss the dangers of such a project and rally local residents by passing around petitions …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Report Calls for New Jail or Mental Health Facility in Santa Cruz County

A recent report highlighted a need for improved conditions for people with mental health problems in Santa Cruz County lockups. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> Mental health care should improve at Santa Cruz County jails, …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz County Could Seek Payout for Water Contamination

Santa Cruz County supervisors in February. (Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo)

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Dental Coverage: Essential Healthcare for California Families

Over 30,000 under-resourced adults and children in Santa Cruz County rely on affordable dental care to live full, healthy, pain-free lives.

Featured

A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI
Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health.
California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
Though life expectancy has declined in recent years, Californians still live longer than most Americans.
Want to Live a Long, Healthy Life? Move to California
Californians live longer than people in all but three states, but not all counties are equal.
From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis
In a state that declares water a “human right,” more than 2 percent of its residents have no drinkable water.
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