WATSONVILLE / SOUTH SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — October 26, 2026. Santa Cruz County’s Behavioral Health Division is looking for community-based organizations to help provide culturally responsive early-intervention mental and behavioral health services for children, young people and families in the southern part of the county.

The agency says approximately $200,000 annually in Behavioral Health Services Act funding will be distributed across multiple qualifying organizations. This is not a $200,000 guaranteed award for each group, nor a direct cash-payment program for individual families. Potential services include outreach, screening, referrals, parent education and help connecting with existing support.

Whom the county is seeking to reach

The county identifies underserved groups including monolingual Spanish-speaking and Indigenous-language-speaking families as well as LGBTQ+ children and young people and their families. Nonprofits with established relationships in affected communities are encouraged to submit qualifications, and the county offers technical assistance with applications.

Application information and deadlines

The next optional in-person RFQ information session is November 5 at 10 a.m. at the Greg Caput Community Room, 500 Westridge Drive, Watsonville. Qualifications are due December 4, 2026. Applications may be submitted in English or Spanish; an Indigenous-language video with an English translation is also allowed under the county’s stated rules.

Organizations can review the county procurement portal for the listing titled Culturally Responsive Early Intervention Access and confirm complete eligibility and filing requirements.

Official release: Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, October 19. This is a procurement announcement; the news does not claim services are already operating under the new contracts.

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