Kaiser Permanente renews local mental health grant to Encompass

Kaiser Permanente announced a second year's $90,000 grant to Encompass
Community Services of Santa Cruz County, part of a continuing $2-million dollar
investment in Northern California to support community organizations in
their work to reduce the stigma around mental illness.

Encompass will continue to be able to fund a youth peer outreach intervention and a
public education campaign that will reduce the stigma associated with
mental health and substance use disorders, which prevent youth and young
adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness from seeking support
and care in Santa Cruz County.

"May is Mental Health Awareness Month," said Irene Chavez, Senior Vice President are Area Manager of Kaiser Permanente San Jose, which oversees the Santa Cruz County area.
"Only by getting young people and adults to talk about mental health
issues will we overcome the stigma that allows it to continue."

Encompass of Santa Cruz County and 25 other Northern California
organizations last year were awarded community health grants, including school
districts, youth and family services and community coalitions that bring
together a variety of stakeholders and agencies to serve people that
historically shy away from getting mental health services.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 5 American adults has experienced a mental health issue, and 1 in 25 Americans live with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. One of the major barriers to accessing care is social stigma associated with mental illness. Internalized stigma can interfere with the willingness to seek treatment. Social stigma can lead to the fear of discrimination in employment and housing or the risk that disclosure of a mental health diagnosis will result in negative treatment in social or professional settings.