The new Watsonville campus builds upon the more than 30-year legacy of Encompass’ Sí Se Puede program, which was originally founded by a group of Latino men who envisioned a culturally responsive place where members of their community could heal from substance use disorders. 

Today, that vision has grown. 

The new Sí Se Puede campus was designed to create an environment where people can feel safe, respected, and supported. More than a treatment facility, Sí Se Puede is a bilingual and bicultural program deeply rooted in the Watsonville community. The majority of its staff are bilingual and bicultural, helping clients receive care that recognizes and respects their language, culture, experiences, and individual needs.  

Residential treatment at Sí Se Puede is CARF Certified, and combines evidence-based, trauma-informed care with a highly personalized approach to recovery. Each client participates in approximately 25 hours of educational and structured programming each week including individual and group counseling, peer support, life skills development, mindfulness, physical activity, and linkage to other community resources that promote long-term recovery. All staff either maintain SUD training certifications or continue their professional education towards social work or therapeutic licensure. Treatment is guided by the program’s philosophy, originally established by Sí Se Puede clients and staff, centered on the belief that people have the power to reclaim their lives and create a different future, aligning with the inspiring name “Sí Se Puede” which translates to “It can be done.”  

Support does not end when a client completes residential treatment. Outpatient SUD services are available on the same campus through Encompass’ ALTO program, providing bilingual individual, group, and family counseling, Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) services, and ongoing peer support. Staff also help clients navigate the day-to-day challenges that can affect long-term recovery by coordinating care with medical and dental providers, legal teams, housing and financial resources, and other community-based resources such as NAMI, Refuge Recovery, SMART Recovery, and more. Encompass also offers referral support at local jail sites to begin early intervention and post-release treatment coordination. 

Sí Se Puede’s impact can be witnessed directly through the many graduates of the program who credit it with saving their lives. One such example is Joseph L., who entered the program in 1991 after years of struggling with alcohol addiction. Facing the serious consequences of a lengthy incarceration after his sixth DUI, the loss of his job, and separation from his family, Joseph was not open to treatment initially. But as he listened to counselors and peers who understood what he was experiencing, something began to change. He completed the program in 1992, rebuilt his relationship with his family and began working as a night counselor at Sí Se Puede the following year, starting a career with the program that would span 30 years. Program graduates with lived experience returning to work as counselors at Encompass is a common occurrence, and a big reason why the program continues to have such a lasting impact on the community. 

Today, more than three decades sober and nearly 30 years into a marriage with the partner who returned to his life after he stopped drinking, Joseph still visits Sí Se Puede and stays connected to the recovery community that changed his life. “If I didn't stop drinking, I wouldn't be here right now,” Joseph emphatically proclaims. “Sí Se Puede saved my life.” His journey from ambivalent client to longtime counselor is a powerful example of what becomes possible when someone has access to treatment, support, and a community that believes recovery is possible. 

In addition, for Joe C., another Sí Se Puede graduate, the program offered a similar opportunity for a different future. After years of alcohol and drug use, multiple DUIs, positive drug screenings, and over fifteen years in and out of jail, Joe entered the program in December 1999 while facing the possibility of significant prison time. At first, he didn't believe he had a substance use problem. Drinking and using was simply the life he knew. But as he began listening to his peers and counselors, his perspective changed. One particularly meaningful moment came when he overheard counselor Jorge G. advocating for him to remain in the program. Knowing that someone believed in him helped Joe begin to believe in himself. 

Joe graduated from Sí Se Puede after 10 months and began rebuilding a life that once seemed out of reach. He reunited with his young sons, repaired relationships with his family, found employment, and eventually worked at Sí Se Puede himself, helping others through his shared experience. Today, over 25 years into his recovery, Joe is an active father and proud grandfather of two. He credits Sí Se Puede not only with helping him become sober, but with teaching him how to communicate, navigate conflict, care for his physical and emotional health, and understand how his choices affect those around him. “I wouldn't be where I am today without Sí Se Puede,” Joe affirms. 

The grand opening of the new state-of-the-art Sí Se Puede facility follows the center’s June ribbon-cutting celebration, when clients and graduates joined staff, community leaders, elected officials, funders, and partners to mark the completion of a capital project more than a decade in the making. The project was made possible through the generous support of public and private funders, including the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP), Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance), Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Kaiser Permanente, the City of Watsonville, and many individual donors. Encompass is extremely grateful to the many community partners, donors, funders, and supporters who helped make the new center possible, and especially to the Encompass employees who have worked tirelessly to prepare the campus to welcome its first clients.  

“Bringing a project of this size and complexity to completion took an extraordinary amount of collaboration, perseverance, and attention to detail,” said Kim Morrison, Encompass’ CEO. “So many people contributed their time, expertise, and energy to getting us to this moment. I am especially grateful to our Encompass staff, who worked through countless details and challenges to ensure that this impressive new center is not just a building, but a welcoming place where people can feel safe, supported, and hopeful.” 

Substance use disorders and mental health challenges affect people and families across Santa Cruz County and knowing where to turn for help can make all the difference. If you know someone who may be struggling with substance use or mental health challenges, please share information about Sí Se Puede and Encompass’ services. Help is available, and recovery is possible. Visit encompasscs.org to learn more or call us at 831-469-1700 to take the first step. If you would like to donate to support Sí Se Puede and life-saving Encompass services, please visit encompasscs.org/donate.