MHCAN

02/12/2026

Dear MHCAN Members & Community Members interested in being on the new MHCAN board,

First of all, I am so sorry for the inconvenience and heartache the closing of MHCAN has caused. We want to do everything we can to alleviate those heartaches. We need you now to help give you and us the power to do that. We want to provide you with an important update regarding the future of MHCAN and the steps being taken to reopen and stabilize our community space.

First and foremost, please know this: MHCAN belongs to its members. The peer-run structure and lived-experience leadership model are what make MHCAN unique and effective. Any decisions about its future must include the voices of those it serves.

Where Things Stand
We have formally notified the County that MHCAN members are organizing to stabilize and reopen the organization. A cease and desist letter has been sent requesting that the County pause any actions to transfer or replace MHCAN with People First or any other organization until members have had the opportunity to vote and reconstitute the Board in accordance with our governance structure.

This step was taken to protect the peer-run identity of MHCAN and ensure that decisions reflect member input.

Board Reconstitution Plan
To reopen our doors, we must first stabilize governance.

We are currently identifying potential board members who:

Support MHCAN’s peer-run mission

Understand nonprofit governance and fiscal responsibility

Are committed to protecting the member voice

Are aligned with reopening and strengthening services

However, the Board must be voted in by the membership.

Holding this vote is essential to:

-Reinstate insurance

-Pay outstanding bills

-Rehire staff

-Restore contracts and billing

-Reopen services

Without a legally voted-in board, MHCAN cannot move forward.

Member Meeting & Vote
We are planning to hold a membership meeting and board vote this Friday.

Your attendance is extremely important.

Board Nominations
If you or someone you know would like to serve on the Board, please let us know immediately.

We are especially looking for individuals who:

Believe strongly in peer leadership

Have nonprofit, finance, legal, or governance experience (helpful but not required)

Are committed to stabilizing and reopening MHCAN

Support the needs of our members first

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, please contact us.

Moving Forward
Our goal is simple:

Stabilize governance

Reinstate operations

Reopen the doors

Strengthen services

Protect MHCAN’s peer-run identity

We cannot do this without you.

MHCAN has served Santa Cruz County for over 30 years as a peer-run safe space. With your participation, we can ensure it continues to do so.

Please reply with your availability for Friday (or weekend preference), and let us know about board nominations. We are having a meeting this Friday for potential board nominations who will then be at the member voting meeting. Here is the link for that:

Please invite any potential new board member candidates and members of MHCAN as many as possible to this meeting for consideration of a new board.

Zoom Meeting invitation - MHCAN Meeting to discuss a New Board (Candidates)

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Fri, Feb 13, 2026

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71870370241?pwd=ZX1gnhqjO83pMhxBfVsQ29BhpTvHS7.1

Meeting ID: 718 7037 0241

Passcode: cHqW2w

We look forward to seeing you and moving forward together.

In solidarity,

Dawn Hightree and Alicia Kuhl
*On behalf of the MHCAN Reopening Team

09/05/2025

Greetings Community, MHCAN is temporarily closed. MHCAN and the County are working together to restore services asap. Thank you for your patience during this difficult time.

06/12/2025

Thank You for Helping MHCAN Secure County Funding

We’re proud to share that MHCAN has successfully secured funding from the county. This major milestone would not have been possible without the strength and support of our peer community.

This victory is a reflection of everything MHCAN stands for: empowerment through lived experience, mutual support, and the belief that recovery is not only possible, but powerful when it’s led by peers. Whether you advocated on our behalf, shared your story, or stood with us in spirit, your support helped make this happen.

With this funding, MHCAN will continue to provide essential peer-run mental health services, expand our reach, and build on the community-centered model that has helped so many find connection, healing, and hope.

To everyone who played a part we thank you. You’ve helped us take a bold step forward in sustaining the work we do and the people we serve.

In community and gratitude,
The MHCAN Team

05/05/2025

Hi everyone-
A sad thing happened:
April 24th, we received the budget proposal for this year from Santa Cruz County.
https://www.mentalhealthsigns.com/archives/2743

https://kion546.com/news/top-stories/2025/04/30/mental-health-programs-at-risk-of-cuts-in-proposed-santa-cruz-county-budget/

Funding for MHCAN was completely cut. In case you don't know, MHCAN is the Mental Health Client Action Network. Provides effective support to our people who suffer from mental health issues- Many are unhoused and desperately need the services that MHCAN provides. This is the only peer run mental health facility in the county of Santa Cruz. The "Clubhouse" of MHCAN is a keystone to any county’s mental health services especially Santa Cruz

And the budget for MHCAN for a whole year is only a bit more than $580,000.

Many people who have benefited from MHCAN went to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, April 29th and asked the Board members to reconsider- To try to find just a half a million dollars to keep MHCAN going.
Folks were there to support Gemma and a couple other important health programs that are also on the chopping block.

It felt like a Miracle when the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to investigate whether they could find $0.5 million in their budget of over 1 billion dollars
($0.58 million is about 0.33% of the part of the budget designated for Behavioral Health- That’s less than 0.05% of the entire budget.)

But the Board of Supervisors only agreed to TRY to find the funds.

We need to call or email them to remind them that Funding MHCAN is a priority for many of our most vulnerable citizens in these uncertain times.

Please call or email the Supervisors (especially the one from your district)

Phone: (831) 454-2200
(you can leave a message with whoever answers the phone- They will keep track of how many people call in support)

Email the entire Board: BoardOfSupervisors@santacruzcountyca.gov

(Emails to this address will go into the Agenda Packet for the next Board meeting on May 6th)

Or go to this link to email your individual District's Supervisor
https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/Government/BoardofSupervisors/ContactUs.aspx

If you don't want to write your own email, you could just copy and paste the following- or something like it:

(It's very simple- All they need to know is that you want them to find the funds somewhere- Like from the "Rainy Day" Fund if necessary)
_____________________

Dear Supervisor, _____

Please restore funding for MHCAN in the County budget for this year.
It is a small amount to pay for this extremely important and effective organization that helps so many people to reconstruct their lives after (or before) a debilitating mental health crisis. Think how much more it will cost our community if people don't have this lifeline, they will end up in the emergency room or in jail increasing costs to the county overall.

Sincerely,
(your name- and address if you like)
____________________

Thanks so much!

11/27/2024

Come join us for a Thanksgiving feast tomorrow at noon!

11/11/2024

Yes we are open on Veterans Day.

10/10/2024

Today is World Mental Health Day. Please take a moment today to acknowledge your current state of mental health; because mental health is health. No matter where you are along the journey of life, you are not alone. We, as peers are always here for you. Mental health is a human right for everyone. We all deserve the right to fair and equal treatment at home, in public or in the workplace. Disclosure is just the beginning. Imagine a world free to be yourself without fear of stigma or rejection.

08/05/2024

06/20/2024

This year MHCAN celebrated Cinco de Mayo on the 6th. In that spirit, today the 20th is our Juneteenth celebration♡!!
We will have a BBQ & good cheer.