Encompass Community Services

07/15/2025

This July we honor the strength, creativity, and advocacy of individuals within the disabled community. Disability Pride is about visibility, acceptance, and celebrating all people living with disabilities, whether chronic, invisible, physical, mental, or emotional. Disabilities are not something to be fixed or hidden, but are a vital part of human diversity.
Let’s continue to break down barriers, challenge ableism, and build a world where every body and mind is valued. Thanks to our Encompass IDEA team for their continued commitment to inclusion both inside and outside of our agency.

06/24/2025

This Pride Month, Encompass Community Services celebrates the strength, diversity, and resilience of our LGBTQ+ community. We remain committed to creating inclusive, affirming spaces where everyone feels seen, supported, and empowered to live as their authentic selves. Love, dignity, and equity for all—this month and every month.
🌈

06/19/2025

On Juneteenth, we honor the enduring fight for freedom and equity. At Encompass Community Services, we are proud to stand with our community in recognizing this day as a reminder of resilience, liberation, and the ongoing work toward justice for all. Together, we continue building a future where every person—regardless of background—has access to the care, support, and opportunity to thrive.

05/29/2025

Walls are UP! We're making major progress at our Si Se Puede (SSP) site in Watsonville! We're also excited to announce that we'll be adding withdrawal management services as part of our service offerings when we open SSP in 2026, thanks to a grant award from the first round of the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Bond funding. Read more about how these services will save lives in our community here: https://bit.ly/3T4u1iZ. Special thanks to and for hosting us on-site this week.

05/27/2025

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, established to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote education around mental health and well-being. is not only a time for reflection, but for collective action. Whether as peers, providers, family members, or allies, we each play a vital role in building a culture of compassion, dignity, and hope—where every person has the opportunity to reclaim their life and move toward healing. Encompass offers a variety of mental health and substance use disorder counseling programs for adults, youth, and families. Learn more at https://www.encompasscs.org/programs.

05/26/2025

Happy Memorial Day! The Encompass offices will be closed today in observance of the holiday. We wish everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day.

05/22/2025

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month is celebrated each May as a time to honor the vibrant cultures, enduring resilience, and profound contributions of our AANHPI communities. Originally established as a week-long observance in 1978 and expanded to a full month in 1990, May was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, built largely by Chinese laborers. These milestones remind us of both the perseverance and the sacrifices made by AANHPI individuals in the face of systemic discrimination. Here in Santa Cruz, this month calls us to recognize and uplift the contributions of neighbors, colleagues, artists, educators, and changemakers whose impact may not always be visible but is deeply felt.

05/20/2025

We are so proud of the rich history of the Head Start program and the impact it continues to have on our Santa Cruz children and their families. To learn more and advocate for the future of this critical programming, visit our website at: https://www.encompasscs.org/advocate_for_head_start_medi_cal_funding. Thank you for your support!

On May 18, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson officially announced Project Head Start from the White House Rose Garden. 📅

That summer, Project Head Start launched as an eight-week program, reaching more than 560,000 children and families across the country.

Watch President Johnson’s historic announcement: https://bit.ly/3ZmyRvE

05/09/2025

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We are especially grateful for our Head Start and Early Head Start teachers and staff. Thank you to all of the dedicated and hardworking teachers and administrators across the County who care for our children. Your job is so important to our community! MANY THANKS!
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05/07/2025

Proud to be a part of the Pajaro Valley Collaborative!

04/25/2025

Encompass needs your help! We are asking all Santa Cruz County community members to contact your elected officials demanding them to fight AGAINST federal budget cuts that would eliminate the Head Start program and severely reduce Medicaid/Medi-Cal funding. Our clients and most vulnerable community members are depending on you! We must mobilize to save Head Start and Medi-Cal funding. Check out our latest blog with contact info for our representatives: https://bit.ly/4cQmVIe. Spread the word! Call today!

04/14/2025

Proud to be a part of the Pajaro Valley Collaborative, a community-based collective of organizations focused on improving health and wellness and civic engagement for the Pajaro Valley Community! Follow for upcoming announcements.

The Pajaro Valley Collaborative is a community-based, collective impact movement composed of nonprofits and public institutions serving the Pajaro Valley with a priority focus on improving health and wellness, economic mobility, and civic engagement.

Our members include:
Catholic Charities Monterey Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc. Community Bridges / Puentes De La Comunidad Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley County of Santa Cruz Digital NEST El Pájaro CDC Encompass Community Services FoodWhat Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay Housing Santa Cruz County Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services Monarch Services - Servicios Monarca Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance Pajaro Valley Unified School District Positive Discipline Community Resources Regeneration-Pájaro Valley Climate Action Salud Para La Gente Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz Watsonville Community Hospital Watsonville Community Hospital Foundation United Way of Santa Cruz County Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County