Santa Cruz County Community Assessment Project
The Santa Cruz County Community Assessment Project (CAP) has been providing Santa Cruz County with useful data regarding the needs of the County for over 17 years.
Since 1994, a consortium of public and private health, education, human service, and civic organizations convened by the United Way of Santa Cruz County have sponsored the Community Assessment Project of Santa Cruz County (CAP), a collaborative project to measure and improve the quality of life in Santa Cruz County.
The goal of CAP is to continually improve the quality of life for Santa Cruz County residents by:
- Raising public awareness of human needs, changing trends, emerging issues, and community problems;
- Providing accurate, credible and valid information on an ongoing basis to human service planners, and those providing funds;
- Providing information for individual institutions to guide decision-making about creation, management and redesign of programs; setting community goals using measurable quality of life indicators that will lead to positive healthy development for individuals, families, and communities; and
- Supporting and assisting with the establishment of collaborative action plans to achieve the community goals.
The Community Assessment Project Report (CAP) provides a comprehensive view of the quality of life in Santa Cruz County.
Economy
- Goal 1 By the year 2020, reduce the winter unemployment rate by one-half percent, creating 725 new winter jobs in Santa Cruz County.
- Darrie Ganzhorn
- Goal 2 By the year 2020, increase the housing stock by 1,000 units in Santa Cruz County.
- Pastor James and Congregation at St. Stephens Lutheran Church
Education
- Goal 1 By the year 2020, all students will be fully connected and engaged with their school community, and will see their school as a welcoming, essential, and safe place.
- Kathleen Crocetti
- Goal 2 By the year 2020, all students will have broader access to courses and enrichment activities, including visual and performing arts, career technical education and digital technology.
- Deidre Hamilton
- Goal 3 By the year 2020, all students will be provided sufficient behavior, health, and counseling services to succeed in their chosen educational and career pathways.
- Live Oak Cradle to Career Parent Leadership
Health
- Goal 1 By the year 2020, all Santa Cruz County residents will have a regular source of primary care and integrated behavioral health services with a focus on: Decreasing disparities; decreasing reliance on Emergency Rooms as a regular source of health care; and increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
- Cathy Simmons
- Goal 2 By the year 2020, obesity in Santa Cruz County will be reduced by 10%.
- Abby Bell
Public safety
- Goal 1 By the year 2020, the juvenile crime rate will be reduced by 10% through the use of culturally responsive evidence based strategies that promote positive interaction and reduce conflict with public safety officials.
- Mary Gaukel
- Goal 2 By the year 2020, there will be a 20% reduction in youth reporting gang involvement, resulting in a 10% reduction of gang related criminal activity.
- Valerie Thompson
- Goal 3 By the year 2020, there will be a 10% decrease in arrests or citations of individuals with chronic SUD/COD through the increase of on-demand treatment for adults with such disorders.
- Carol Williamson
- Goal 4 By the year 2020, the violent crime rate of 18 to 25 year olds will be reduced by 10% through the use of targeted gang involvement intervention strategies, including restorative practices, street outreach, and alternatives to adult gang involvement.
- Paulina Moreno
Social environment
- Goal 1 By the year 2020, more Santa Cruz County residents will build meaningful social bridges across differences in age, race, ethnicity, class, and culture.
- Margaret Gordon
- Goal 2 By the year 2020, schools and communities will be safe, supportive, and engaging places for children, youth, and families.
- Ingrid Trejo
- Goal 3 By the year 2020, more Santa Cruz County residents will feel empowered to experience and pursue long-term quality of life.
Natural environment
- Goal 1 By the year 2020, residential per capita water use will be sustained at or under 2013 baseline levels through 2020.
- Goal 2 By the year 2020, 5% of homes in Santa Cruz County will have a solar electric or hot water system.
- Lynne Achtenberg
- Goal 3 By the year 2020, stewardship actions for our waters will be increased by 10%.
- Goal 4 By the year 2020, 50 miles of urban bike and multi-use trails will be constructed within Santa Cruz County to decrease traffic, increase active transportation, and connect urban areas to open spaces.