New County Site for Mental Health Services • CASA’s New Program Director • Jobs in Santa Cruz County

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

New County Site for Mental Health Services

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors are in the process of acquiring a two-story office at 5300 Soquel Ave., across from the Sheriff’s Office, for about $9.5 million to create new mental health facilities.

The 30,220-square-foot building, which has housed Sinsational Smile, Ifland Engineering and Santa Cruz Answering Service, would become a place for children in crisis to stabilize and 16 inpatient beds for short-term residential therapy.

County staff secured nearly $13 million in state and federal grants for the purchase. A pending $11.7 million grant could underwrite improvements for the project’s later phases.

Escrow is expected to close in May, and County Health Services Agency Director Mónica Morales hopes to open in mid-2024.

Morales said hospitals are struggling with diversion options for youth and adults.

Santa Cruz County does not have an inpatient program for youth in a mental health crisis and has been taking those youth to facilities in neighboring counties.

The county has about four chairs for crisis stabilization, offering limited comfort. The new building will create room for eight beds, more space for patients and a higher level of care.

The building, part of the Live Oak Business Park, was built in 2001 by Swenson on a .47 acre lot.

It houses Sinsational Smile teeth whitening business and offices for Bay Federal Credit Union, which bought the building in 2005 for $7.9 million and has employees working on the second floor.

In today’s pandemic environment, so many employees are working from home that less office space is needed, and Bay Federal will consolidate staff at its headquarters in Capitola.

“We’re doing the right thing,” said Amy Ivey, Bay Federal’s vice president of marketing and development, of the sale to the county. “We’re honored to partner with them.”

Asking lease rate was $6,282 a month.

Rachael Shelton of J.R.R. Parrish Commercial, who had been showing the property to prospective subtenants and found it challenging because the zoning is “light industrial.”

Sinsational Smile, Ifland and Santa Cruz Answering Service will have their leases transfer to the county, and be able to stay until the lease expires and the county is ready to take over the space.

A substantive remodel will be needed, adding showers, bathrooms and sleeping space inside the office building.

County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios noted that building a new building for children’s mental health services would double the overall expense. n

The two-story office at 5300 Soquel Ave. is across from the Sheriff’s Office.

Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz

CASA’s New Program Director

Nicole Irigoyen has joined CASA of Santa Cruz County as program director. She is passionate about uplifting and upholding human rights, particularly the rights of marginalized groups.

She has previously worked to prevent gender-based violence, end the school-toprison pipeline through policy change, and create dialogue through restorative practices. Irigoyen was prevention education director with the Monterey County Rape

Nicole Irigoyen Crisis Center, then deputy director at Rancho Cielo, a 100-acre ranch that serves as a learning and social services center for underserved and disconnected youth in Monterey County.

She is in her final semester of obtaining dual master’s degrees in public administration and education management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. •••

Jobs in Santa Cruz County Sector Nov. 2022 Change from Nov. 2021

Government 23,400 Up 1,300 Private education 17,800 Up 600 & health Manufacturing 7,700 Up 200 Other 4,800 Up 200 Trade/transportation/ 16,800 Up 100 utilities Professional/business 10,900 Up 100 services Construction 4,900 Up 100 Information 600 0 Financial 3,300 0 Leisure/hospitality 12,600 Down 100 Nonfarm Farm

102,800 Up 2,500 6,000 Down 300 Total 108,800 Up 2,200 ~~~ Labor force 134,500 Up .2% Employment* 128,600 Up .8% Unemployment 5,900 Down 10.5% Unemployment rate 4.4% 4.9%

Count is on the 12th of the month *Includes commuters out of the county

Source: California Employment Development Department

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Unemployment in Santa Cruz County rose from 3.6% in October to 4.9% in November as the labor force declined from 136,700 to 134,500.

Before November, unemployment has hovered around 3.8% for the three months, compared to 17+% in 2020, fueled by pandemic restrictions.

Santa Cruz Community Health and Dientes are hiring for positions at their new complex at 1500 Capitola Road, Live Oak.

Construction, a typically higherpaying sector, is healthy with nearly 5,000 jobs. So is manufacturing, which tops 7,500 jobs. n