Human Services Commission

The Human Services Commission is a volunteer advisory board which meets six times a year to ensure the highest quality and maximum effectiveness of human services provided for the benefit of the citizens of Santa Cruz County. Meetings are open to the public. The Commission consists of ten members appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

The duties of the Commission (as defined in Chapter 2.60 of the Santa Cruz County Code) are to:

Guide long-term planning regarding meeting the socio-economic needs of low-income, disabled, disadvantaged and at-risk people in the county;
Advise the county board of supervisors on policies and priorities that affect the socio-economic needs of low-income, disabled, disadvantaged and at-risk people;
Provide advice and counsel to the Director and Senior Management of the Human Services Department on best practices in the operation of the department’s programs;
Provide a forum for citizens affected by county human services programs and policies;
Advise the Board of Supervisors on funding decisions affecting the socio-economic needs of low-income, disabled and disadvantaged people, including county allocation of resources to county programs and community programs funding;
Integrate efforts and initiatives affecting the socio-economic needs of the poor which cross departmental, divisional and interest-group lines;
Advise the board of supervisors on legislative matters concerning the county human services programs. (Ord. 4106 § 2 (part), 1991)

Meeting Schedule

Human Services Commission meetings are held bimonthly on the third Wednesday of the month, from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, at the United Way’s Capitola Conference room, located at 4450 Capitola Rd #106, Capitola, CA, unless otherwise noted below.

The 2023 Commission Meeting schedule is as follows:

January 18, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:30 am, *This is a Virtual Public Meeting – Click Here to Join*
March 15, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:30 am, 4450 Capitola Rd #106, Capitola CA
May 17, 2023, CANCELLED due to lack of quorum
July 19, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:30 am, Watsonville CA, site TBD
September 20, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:30 am, Santa Cruz CA, site TBD
November 15, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:30 am, 4450 Capitola Rd #106, Capitola CA

All Commission meetings, beginning with March 15, 2023, will be held in a hybrid in-person/virtual format so that members of the public wishing to attend virtually may do so. To attend virtually, you may Click here to join the meeting, or you may email Commission staff at Adam.Spickler@santacruzcounty.us to be sent a link electronically.