The Healing the Streets (HTS) program combines street medicine with an expanded level of behavioral health services, along with case management and peer support. Various County partners work together to serve community members experiencing homelessness in the cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz. Services are provided by a field-based team and mobile health van, in partnership with with the County’s Homeless Persons Health Project (HPHP). The HPHP Street Medicine Program is a primary care and outreach response team designed to address the critical need to support people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County.
Santa Cruz County Resource Guide
Homeless Persons Health Project (HPHP) has benefit representatives that can help you with Medi-Cal, CalFresh (food stamps), CalWorks (cash aid for families), General Assistance (GA) and other programs. Contact them to speak with a representative, or to make an appointment.
Homeless Persons Health Project (HPHP) provides COVID19 vaccinations and boosters shots (Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen are available). Pfizer is available for children ages 5 and up; they must be accompanied by parent/guardian to receive the vaccine. We try to schedule vaccinations on Thursdays, but can accommodate people any day of the week. COVID19 Testing is available on a walk-in basis as well. They also have a supply of home test kits (free) for all patients (while supplies last). Contact HPHP for more information.
Food Not Bombs serves a healthy dinner each day at various locations in Downtown Santa Cruz.
Homeless Persons Health Project (HPHP) - HPHP provides a number of services to people experiencing homelessness and low-income populations of Santa Cruz County. Their staff of physicians and doctors can diagnose and treat a wide range of ailments and diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes, wounds and more. Tests including Pap Smears, PPD (tuberculosis skin test), and STIs (sexually transmitted infections) are also performed at our clinic.
They offer treatment for Hepatitis-C, which can effectively cure this virus by reducing the viral load to undetectable levels.
Referrals can be made for labs, tests and local specialists as part of your treatment plan.
Their clinic and public health nurses can triage, diagnose and treat many medical issues. You can also find public health nurses out in the community during their outreach hours, providing medical care to people. No appointment is necessary to see one of their nursing staff during clinic hours.
If someone is having a mental health emergency call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room if you can safely get there.
Watsonville MAT Outreach Schedule
Treatment For Opiate, Crystal Meth or Alcohol Use with Medicine like Suboxone call: (831) 454-4808
For All Other Health Care Needs call: (831) 454-2080
The Mobile Street Medicine Team provides services by a field-based team and mobile health van. The mobile outreach team provides services at the locations in the schedule below:
Services include:
NOTE: The schedule below does not provide services on holidays (including 3/31/22)
Armory - located at 301 Armory Rd.
A value of the HTS team is to take the lead from clients in setting goals and accessing services that they identify as a priority. The core HTS team (composed of County Behavioral Health staff and contracted Front St. Inc. case manager and peer staff members) work with key Health Services Agency staff across divisions to provide low barrier access to services and to increase client engagement.
HTS staff work collaboratively with a multitude of Watsonville and Santa Cruz agencies serving vulnerable populations that are experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges.
The HTS team works alongside these agencies to support clients in need in the following areas:
The qualifications to enroll into HTS are:
Interested in enrolling into Healing the Streets? Use our referral form to contact us or call us at (831) 454-4352. One of our Healing the Streets team members will respond and let you know what you need to qualify.