Santa Cruz City high schools welcome new Wellness Centers

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Harbor High School is cutting the ribbon on their new Wellness Center today April 2nd at 2:30pm.

Taking place in the middle of the school's campus, the "Wellness Day" event is celebrating the opening of the center with a lunchtime student resource fair, followed by the evening County Wellness Fair from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m.

Both events will offer information tables from partners helping with mental and physical health management, as well as informational sessions ranging from Youth Depression to Stress Management.

The school district is opening the centers in hopes to simplify access for students.

A "Wellness Navigator" will be staffed in each center, where they are trained to help students find the right support they need.

“Even before COVID, we were seeing a significant rise in issues like anxiety and depression amongst teenagers,” said Superintendent Kris Munro. “Making a physical space to offer easy access to not only our in-house supports, but the resources of all of our partner organizations across the county, simplifies the process anyone has to go through to get help.”

Each center will have resources for mental and sexual health, along with substance abuse and more.

Soquel High's temporary Wellness Center that opened last fall saw huge success with students according to Santa Cruz Student Service Director O'Brien.

“The response we have seen has been really incredible,” said O’Brien. “Students have been utilizing the resource very well, and it has streamlined the process of connecting students with whatever help they need.”

The Wellness Centers are opening at schools across the city.

Soquel High welcomed their center yesterday April 1st with Santa Cruz High expecting to see their center open next year.