2026 OVERDOSE AWARENESS EVENTS
Join neighbors and community partners for FREE community events throughout Santa Cruz County.
Health Services Agency teams and community partners will share how to recognize and safely respond to an overdose, use Narcan (naloxone), and access free resources, including test strips and more.
Overdose Awareness Resource Fair
Wednesday, Aug. 26 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Watsonville Community Hospital
75 Nielson St., Watsonville
Community Narcan Demonstration
Thursday, Aug. 27 | 6:30 p.m.
Fruition Brewery
918 E. Lake Ave., Watsonville
Community Narcan Demonstration
Friday, Aug. 28 | 12- 2:00 p.m.
703 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz
Narcan and Harm Reduction Training
Monday, Aug. 31 | 11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
1430 Freedom Blvd. , Suite E Auditorium, Watsonville
Opioid Settlement Funds Community Grant Program
UPDATE 03/09/2026:We are excited to announce the second-round of awardees of the Santa Cruz County Opioid Settlement Funds Community Grant Program. The new round of awards support a coordinated, countywide approach to reducing the harms associated with substance use disorder—particularly opioid addiction—while strengthening pathways to recovery for individuals and families in Santa Cruz County. Together, the funded projects expand residential treatment capacity, improve access to housing and case management for people in recovery, enhance care for newborns and families affected by opioid use, and strengthen community-based prevention and harm reduction efforts.
The grantees are:
| Organization: |
Award Amount: |
Program: |
| New Life Community Services |
$201,358 |
To support New Life Watsonville, which will be a new 14-bed addiction treatment facility in Watsonville, providing residential, bilingual addiction treatment services. |
| Housing Matters |
$170,000 |
To hire a Substance Use Specialist to help secure permanent housing for persons with a history of opioid use disorder in Santa Cruz County. |
| Santa Cruz Community Health |
$135,64 |
For treatment of newborns with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome, and to establish a multi-agency collaborative network to provide seamless support for high-risk families transitioning from hospital to home care Health Improvement. |
| Health Improvement Parnerships of Santa Cruz County |
$85,000 |
For SafeRx leading learning collaboratives, a conference, and advisory groups that focus on medication assisted treatment, perinatal treatment, adolescent and young adult treatment, and community education. |
| Siena House |
$80,000 |
For a full-time Case Manager to provide consistent support and resource navigation for women and their children, and to expand therapy services that support coping skills, relapse prevention and emotional regulation. |
| Homeless Garden Project |
$60,000 |
To continue to provide transitional employment opportunities to individuals enrolled in recovery care at partner programs and to pilot trainings that build staff capacity. |
| Stepping Up Santa Cruz |
$48,000 |
To hire a Harm Reduction Case Manager. |
| Barrios Unidos Santa Cruz |
$30,000 |
For opioid use prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and youth leadership work |
A total of $810,000 will be available for distribution in 2026, covering a performance period through June 2027.
Non-profit organization awardees announced 09/30/2024:
| Organization: |
Award Amount: |
Program: |
| Encompass Community Services |
$97,448 |
For the Zero Overdose program |
| Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County (HIPSCC) |
$218,917 |
For the Adolescent & Young Adult Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative, Medication Assisted Therapy Advisory Group, and education and technical assistance for community organizations. |
| Homeless Garden Project (HGP) |
$47,341 |
For the Employment for People in Recovery from Opioid Addiction program |
| Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance |
$50,000 |
For the Opioid Awareness Initiative and youth outreach work led by Empower Watsonville |
| Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos (SCBU) |
$50,00 |
For their youth-focused Opioid Treatment and Prevention Program |
| Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) |
$286,294 |
For adolescent Opioid Use Disorder screening, prevention, treatment and recovery, and the Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative |
| Siena House |
$60,000 |
To expand residential and aftercare program capacity for women at risk of or experiencing Substance Abuse Disorders |
A total of $810,000 will be available for distribution in Fiscal Year 2024-2025, covering a performance period through June 2026.