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Santa Cruz council warms to mobile mental health program
During a city study session Monday, Santa Cruz City Council members expressed interest in a mobile mental-health program that could distance Santa Cruz police from some calls for service related to mental health and suicide prevention.
After presentations from leaders of Santa Cruz police, Santa Cruz County Mental Health and Eugene, Ore.-based White Bird Clinic, Councilmember Sandy Brown said she wanted a request for a proposal for consulting services from White Bird to help set up a CAHOOTS-style program in Santa Cruz. The council decided to explore the program further but not yet seek a proposal.
Some council members said that before a proposal could be made, they wanted to know how the program could fit into the county’s Three-Year Strategic Framework to Address Homelessness as well as coordination with county mental health services and other law enforcement agencies. City Manager Martin Bernal also expressed caution about new costs given the city's potential budget deficit.
Two Downtown Outreach workers already provide services to people who suffer from mental health problems in downtown Santa Cruz. Separately, Santa Cruz police have a licensed clinician who responds to calls with officers 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
A CAHOOTS-style program could be dispatched without police. It would have its own vehicle and it potentially could save public dollars by diverting patients away from hospitals and jail to other places for care. Two fatal shootings in recent years happened after 6 p.m. and involved mental health patients in Santa Cruz and Corralitos.
Santa Cruz County was one of 41 counties in the state that entered the state’s more restrictive purple tier this week. “Places of worship, movie theaters, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers will only be allowed to have outdoor services with health and safety modifications,” county leaders said in a statement.
Supervisors allow housing in former motels, cabins in San Lorenzo Valley
County supervisors on Tuesday allowed property owners at five sites to legalize small homes on former motel and vacation properties. Supervisors approved zoning changes to allow more than 35 “affordable by design” homes such as one-bedroom units of fewer than 1,000 square feet, said Supervisor Bruce McPherson. Many of the units had been used for permanent housing already. “By rezoning them, we assure that we don’t lose that housing stock,” McPherson during Tuesday’s meeting. “It’s highly needed.”
The former Wagon Wheel Motel at 6154 Highway 9 in Felton was rezoned to allow 10 one-bedroom permanent homes.
The Toll House Resort at 4700 Highway 9 in Felton was allowed conversion of six of its nine cabins to permanent homes.
Former vacation cabins at 13320 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek were approved to become 11 homes.
Four units of a former motel at 14630 Two Bar Road in Boulder Creek were rezoned to allow permanent homes.
Seven units were rezoned for permanent housing at 14650 Two Bar Road in Boulder Creek.
- Stephen Baxter
Correction: Santa Cruz Local’s Nov. 15 newsletter incorrectly stated the city of the former Wagon Wheel Motel. It is in Felton.
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We’ll update the results as Santa Cruz County officials continue their count over the next few days.