Rep. Panetta secures over $500,000 for substance abuse and behavior services in Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- U.S. District 19 Congressman Jimmy Panetta secured a $520,911 grant to for Janus of Santa Cruz, which is a substance use disorder and behavioral health treatment center in Santa Cruz.

Panetta's office said that they got the grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Janus of Santa Cruz offers programs and services for 2,500 patients that vary in withdrawal management, residential drug and alcohol treatment plus DUI correction, and intensive outpatient services.

"Rehabilitation services for our neighbors living with substance use disorders, has the potential to both save and change lives,” Panetta said in a statement.  "Tackling addiction and other behavioral health issues is a community-wide endeavor that entails this type of significant federal investment.”

The California Health Care Foundation estimates that more than 2.9 million Californians struggle with a substance abuse disorder.

In 2022, Santa Cruz County had 65 reported fentanyl-related overdose deaths.

In early June, a 35-year-old woman died of xylazine poisoning which is the first reported death linked to an animal tranquillizer in Santa Cruz County.