Where Are the Workers? Report: 5,000 County Residents Moved Out of State

By Jondi Gumz

The Santa Cruz County economy has added 9,100 jobs in the past five years, but between 2020 and 2021, about 5,000 people – most under 65 – moved out of California, shrinking the labor pool.

Almost all the job growth involved the highest-paying sector-- Defense, Aerospace, Transportation, and Manufacturing where annual earnings average $142,000 – think Joby Aviation in Santa Cruz -- but the county has a larger proportion of lower skilled and lower paying jobs than statewide.

These are four data points in the 2023 State of the Workforce Report.

The 36-page report, written by BW Research for the Santa Cruz County Workforce Investment Board, does not provide specific demographics of those who left.

It speculates the likely reason is housing costs.

Four in ten residents are renters, and 45% of renters in Northern Santa Cruz County spend 35% or more of their income on housing. Financial guru Dave Ramsey, who can be heard on KSCO Radio, recommends spending no more than 25% of take-home pay on housing.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition reported in June that Santa Cruz County is the most expensive place in the U.S. to rent — clearly a problem for workers.

Jimmy Legg, director of sales and marketing at the Scotts Valley Hilton, cited the high cost of housing as a reason it’s challenging to hire qualified staff. He believes tax breaks and other incentives could help to lure corporations back into the travel market.

“Workers” page 19

“Overdose

Prevention” from page 7

“We had to spend some time with this bureaucracy explaining the purpose and a justification for the quantities,” Ghilarducci said. “This was a very new concept for them.”

Dealers selling on Snapchat and Instagram mix fentanyl, which is inexpensive, into drugs such as Xanax or hydrocodone and buyers who order online usually have no idea they are risking their lives.

For an overdose, Naloxone (Narcan) is a life-saving medication, but it does not address the underlying craving for opioids.

Buprenorphine helps reduce opioid withdrawal and cravings and, along with methadone, is the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder, reducing overdose fatalities.

A 2010 study in the UK found buprenorphine patients had lower death rates than methadone patients.

Paramedics now can administer buprenorphine to patients in opioid withdrawal while taking them to a hospital to be connected to long-term treatment programs.

Providing this medication as soon as possible not only relieves withdrawal symptoms but makes successful recovery from addiction more likely, according to Santa Cruz County officials.

“We are excited that paramedics will have the training and tools necessary to administer buprenorphine in the field,” said Greg Benson, Santa Cruz County EMS senior health services manager. “By proactively addressing opioid dependence as early as possible, even during a 911 response, we can save lives and connect individuals with addiction to the resources they need to achieve lasting recovery.”

One advantage is patients can get buprenorphine from any healthcare provider and do not have to go to special methadone clinics, according to a 2023 report by Dr. Rachna Kumar, and buprenorphine is easier to taper.

For years, the prescription of buprenorphine was heavily regulated, which prevented emergency responders from being able to administer it.

In December 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, which relaxed federal regulations to grant more medical professionals the ability to prescribe this treatment.

The CARESTAR Foundation funded the project in California, providing a proof of concept so that other EMS agencies and health systems roll out similar efforts.

San Francisco began the new service on March 31.

An 18-month investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle found many of the street dealers come from a povertystricken village in Honduras to make money to provide for their families. The city reported 53 people arrested for dealing drugs declined the offer of drug treatment. n

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If you or someone you know is interested in treatment services for addiction, contact your medical provider. If you do not have a medical provider, call the Santa Cruz County Substance Use Disorder Services at (800) 9522335 or SAMHSA’s National 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

For treatment options see www.santacruz health.org/RecoveryWave/MedicationAssisted Treatment.aspx?page11402=1&size11402=12 and www.santacruzhealth.org/RecoveryWave/ ResidentialTreatment.aspx?page11404=1& size11404=12