CommUnify creates new division offering mental health support in Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Chelsea Camacho is a mental health practitioner for CommInify in Goleta.

"I provide therapeutic and rehabilitation skills to the children in the headstart program," said Camacho.

The program is part of the organization's newly developed Behavioral Wellness Division helping families in need across Santa Barbara County.

"We definitely needed this new department since Covid. We saw an uptick in behaviors with the children and with families, said Camacho.

The new division addresses mental health needs for the whole family.

It also helps young mothers experience a healthy pregnancy, while establishing positive parenting goals.

"We have been doing extensive work with our community and all of the families, children and youth and children definitely do need services," said clinical services director Nuvia Almanza of CommUnify.

In order to open this new division, CenCal awarded $124,380 to CommUnify.

"We serve one in three residents in Santa Barbara County if you can believe that … and CommUnify provides such valuable and important services like the adolescent family life program … and so we just sort wrap around families and young mothers to make sure that they have what they need," said CEO Marina Owen of CenCal.

Most adolescent family life planning services are rendered in Santa Maria.

But with this new funding, CommUnify will be able to expand services in Lompoc, Santa Barbara, and Goleta.

"My hope is overtime that we’re really able to elevate families and provide the services that the families need to thrive," said Owen.

Perhaps the best part about this new branch, is all services are free to participants.