The Mental Health Client Action Network of Santa Cruz County (MHCAN), is a peer run, self-help, drop-in center where people with psychiatric disabilities can congregate and socialize in a safe place, free from the stigma of mental illness imposed by society.

MHCAN Mission Statement 

MHCAN helps clients reclaim their dignity through self-help. We do this by:

• providing mutual support and networking;
• having a voice in all matters which affect us;
• creating client controlled programs;
• advocating for the right to choose our own life path;
• educating the public from our perspective;
• confronting discrimination.
  

MHCAN Philosophy

We believe that each person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and that together we can recover from the stigma of our diagnosis.

We believe that clients of mental health treatments are uniquely capable of helping other clients.

We support people in finding an identity outside of a medical label. We try to help each other live without crisis.

We will assist people in rediscovering or developing their best skills and talents.

30 Second Elevator Speech

The Mental Health Client Action Network is a valuable peer-community service. We help adults with mental illness live without crisis, which reduces pressure on other community resources. Our Drop-In Center hosts over 12,000 visits annually from almost 600 mental health clients, who otherwise have no community center. We lobby for better physical health care, and collaborate on affordable and independent housing. Each of our part-time staff is a peer, an adult with a serious mental health diagnosis. They and our volunteers give our clients the respect they deserve. Our clients demonstrate that people with serious mental illness can work, go to school, maintain stable housing, and help their peers do the same.