This August 3–9, as we mark National Health Center Week 2025, communities across the country will come together to celebrate one of our nation’s great success stories: Community Health Centers. For over half a century, these centers have provided high-quality, cost-effective and compassionate care to millions of Americans—regardless of income or insurance status. In Santa Cruz County, we see firsthand the remarkable impact of this work every day, and Encompass is proud to be included in this annual celebration.

The nearly 1,500 Community Health Centers nationwide—including the dedicated providers here in Santa Cruz—serve over 32.5 million people annually. These centers aren’t just places for checkups; they are lifelines for those facing the toughest health and life circumstances. They provide comprehensive preventive and primary care, address complex behavioral health needs, offer dental and vision services, and even respond to the social determinants of health like food insecurity, housing instability and poverty.

In our region, Encompass is partnering with organizations including Dientes Community Dental, Janus of Santa Cruz, Salud Para La Gente, Santa Cruz Community Health, and Santa Cruz County Public Health and County Health Centers in a joint press conference on Thursday, August 7th at 12pm to bring awareness to our local health center partners and advocate for support as we continue to operate in challenging and uncertain times. Our organizations are part of a network of safety-net providers working to improve the lives and outcomes of our friends, family members and neighbors. All of our efforts for the week have been facilitated by the Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County (HIP), whose mission is to bring together clinics, local hospitals, county agencies and other nonprofits to strengthen access to care, share data and best practices, and advocate for the needs of vulnerable residents. Now, more than ever, the work of these safety-net providers couldn’t be more important. 

Collectively, this network ensures that farmworkers in Watsonville can access bilingual care close to home, that seniors in Live Oak can receive affordable medical and dental care, and that families in the San Lorenzo Valley don’t have to choose between a paycheck and their health. Whether it's prenatal care, chronic disease management, vaccinations, or behavioral health services, our local health centers meet people where they are—with dignity, compassion, and clinical excellence.

The results speak for themselves. Studies have shown that health centers reduce emergency department visits, lower healthcare costs, and improve health outcomes—especially for low-income populations. In Santa Cruz County, where nearly one in three residents relies on Medicaid (in California Medi-Cal), this model is not just effective—it’s essential.

Yet even as we celebrate, we must also recognize that these vital services are at risk. The recent passage of the federal budget and the devastating cuts to the Medicaid program will destabilize the health care ecosystem as we know it, forcing many community members to lose their health insurance as they are forced off of Medi-Cal and Covered California. 

Without long-term, stable funding, local health centers and supporting health care agencies will be forced to reduce services, cut hours, or delay essential upgrades that help meet the needs of a growing and aging population. The consequences will be felt most acutely by those already facing systemic barriers: children, older adults, immigrants, unhoused community members, and people with chronic, complex physical health, mental health, and substance use conditions.

Thankfully, here in California—and especially in Santa Cruz County—we have champions. Our local state and federal representatives have consistently shown their support for community health. Leaders like Congressman Jimmy Panetta, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, and Senator Adam Schiff have long advocated for expanded access to healthcare and funding stability for health centers. At the state level, Speaker Robert Rivas, Senator John Laird and Assemblymembers Dawn Addis and Gail Pellerin have stood with our safety-net providers—helping protect key Medi-Cal benefits and working to ensure dental, mental health and preventive services remain available to all who need them.

We are proud to have a community that understands that health is not a privilege, but a right. And we are proud to live in a region where collaboration between providers, local government, and advocates continues to produce innovative, community-rooted solutions.

As we celebrate National Health Center Week, let us honor the doctors, nurses, dental providers, behavioral health clinicians, outreach workers, and administrators who make this work possible. Let us also renew our commitment to standing with them—because their work is far from done.

If you wish to show your support, please consider making a monetary donation or an in-kind donation, follow us on social media, sign-up for our newsletter, and continue to contact your elected officials to voice your support for sustained funding. As always, we sincerely appreciate your ongoing support.