Community Connection
We believe each person who walks through our doors has a gift. Our job is to help individuals discover those gifts and reach their full potential. Our mission is to empower our mental health community through wellness, meaningful activity, and community connection.
Community Connection's 12 diverse programs are funded in part by Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, State of California Department of Rehabilitation and the Kaiser Permanente Foundation.
INTRODUCING OUR NEW PROGRAM...WELLNESS CONNECT!
We are proud to announce the October 2021 opening of our new and innovative program funded by our partners at Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health. Wellness Connect is a mental health program providing prevention, early intervention, treatment and recovery services for young adults experiencing significant emotional and/or mental health challenges. Learn More!
WHAT WE DO
We are dedicated to helping adults lead healthier and more productive lives by overcoming mental health and chemical dependency challenges. Through our resources and tools we enable people to provide a life for themselves and their families. We help adults build stronger bridges to our community through education, job, housing and lifestyle support.
WHO WE SERVE
Most of our program participants are referred to Community Connection by the Santa Cruz Mental Health Department. If you are interested in our services but are unsure of your eligibility then please contact us. We are happy to determine which programs you may qualify for, and connect you with a Program Coordinator who can answer your questions.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We incorporate the Recovery Model into our services. The recovery model encompasses strengths-based and individualized program components, which help consumers identify potential sources of meaning in their lives as active members of the community. The foundation of the Recovery Model is the concept of person-centered program activities.
Traditional mental health treatment has been focused on illness, with every intervention revolving around the diagnosis. At Community Connection instead we focus on the strengths of each individual who chooses to participate in our programs. We believe individuals with mental health challenges are able to live better lives through self-discovery and meaningful activities that enhance wellness.
As part of the recovery model, Community Connection is committed to employing peer consumers to enhance the recovery of our participants. Peer support provides an opportunity for consumers who have embraced recovery to assist others in their recovery journey. Many of our programs incorporate peer staff or volunteer peer group leaders to model recovery, teach skills and offer support. We find that peers are essential in providing education, empowerment, and an understanding of ways to best navigate the mental health system.
