Project Grant H79FG000559

BUILDING HOPE & SAFETY-SANTA CRUZ - SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES WILL LAUNCH BUILDING HOPE & SAFETY-SANTA CRUZ TO SERVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND/OR WHO ARE AT-RISK OF SUICIDE. THE PROJECT INCLUDES A PARTNERSHIP WITH MONARCH SERVICES THAT WILL PROVIDE EMERGENCY HOUSING SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND AT-RISK OF SUICIDE, AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES. A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES OF THE CENTRAL COAST WILL ALSO PROVIDE LARGE-SCALE SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMMING TO COUNTY RESIDENTS AT INCREASED RISK OF SUICIDE, ESPECIALLY DUE TO INCREASED STRESS RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FOR COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ARE FAR REACHING. THE RISK OF SUICIDE AND POTENTIAL FOR NEGATIVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN BOTH OUR TARGET POPULATIONS AND IN THE GENERAL POPULATION WITH A PARALLEL NEED FOR ENHANCED AND EXPANDED SERVICES IS ESCALATED BY THE FOLLOWING KEY TRENDS: ECONOMIC INSTABILITY, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, INCREASED SOCIAL ISOLATION DUE TO SHELTER IN PLACE ORDERS, DECREASED ACCESS TO COMMUNITY AND RELIGIOUS SUPPORTS, EXACERBATED ILLNESS AND MEDICAL ISSUES, DRASTIC INCREASES IN FIREARMS SALES AND ACCESS TO MEANS FOR SUICIDE, VARIATION IN SEASONAL SUICIDE RATES, PROJECTED INCREASE IN CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCREASED NATIONAL ANXIETY, AND OTHER FACTORS. GIVEN THE CURRENT PANDEMIC, OUR TARGET POPULATION OF PEOPLE AT-RISK OF SUICIDE IS EXPANDED TO POTENTIALLY INCLUDE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE AT RISK OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, AS WELL AS HEALTHCARE WORKERS EXPERIENCING INTENSE SECONDARY TRAUMA, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ. THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IMPACTS, INCLUDING INCREASED SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HIGHER RATE OF CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE UNPREDICTABLE IN THEIR LENGTH OF IMPACT AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS. BUILDING HOPE & SAFETY-SANTA CRUZ WILL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING SERVICES FOR THE ENTIRE 16-MONTH GRANT TERM: EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR PEOPLE AT-RISK OF SUICIDE AND EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR A MINIMUM OF 150 INDIVIDUALS; CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY TRAINING IN SUICIDE PREVENTION AND SAFETY PLANNING FOR A MINIMUM OF 1,190 PEOPLE; DIRECT CRISIS SERVICES AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR A MINIMUM OF 2,500 RESIDENTS; A MINIMUM OF 1,000 RESIDENTS IN AN ACTIVE POST INTERVENTION LOCAL OUTREACH TO SUICIDE SURVIVORS MODEL (LOSS); OVER 20,000 PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE A NEWLY CREATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCE POCKET GUIDE, INCLUDING SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES; AND ANOTHER 45,000 WILL BE TARGETED BY A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MEANS MANAGEMENT AND PEOPLE AT-RISK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.