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Street Smart

Services available to homeless youth Above the Line PO Box 2822 Santa Cruz, CA 95063-2822 454-4218 Provides transitional housing, services and job training for 13- to 17-year-old homeless youth in Santa Cruz County. Focuses on working with children who want to end their homelessness. Bridge School/Above the Line 454-4207 Transitional school for homeless teens. Child Abuse Reporting Hotline 454-2273 24-hour service to report suspected child abuse. Children's Mental Health Services 454-4900 Counseling and referrals for at-risk teens. Health Services Agency Downtown Outreach Worker Deanna Laws 454-4170 Provides street social work including outreach, support and referrals. Drop-In Center 412 Front St., Santa Cruz 95060 457-1163 Free and anonymous HIV testing and disease prevention education. Youth hours on Thursdays 12:30-4pm--free pizza, movies and condoms available. Drug Abuse and Crisis Intervention Focus on Recovery Hotline 800/234-0246 24-hour service. Equinox Center 457-1441 755 Cedar St. Resource for gay, bisexual and questioning men under 29. Homeless Community Resource Center 115 Coral St., Santa Cruz 458-6020 Food, shelter, showers and laundry facilities. Access to job placement and medical referrals. Homeless Garden Project 426-3609 Organic garden and women's organic flower projects employ homeless adults and youth. Homeless Persons Health Project 454-2080 Provides medical treatment, advice and advocacy for the homeless. Assists in setting up health coverage, does case management and provides counseling and referrals about violence or abuse. The Living Room PO Box 4004 682-3383 Free coffee shop on Friday and Saturday nights at the Elm Street Mission, 117 Elm St. Open to anyone under the age of 25. National Runaway Switchboard 800/621-4000 24-hotline, crisis counseling and intervention, assistance to homeless youth and youth trying to return home. Home Free service provides free bus tickets home. New Horizons School 475-0133 Transitional school for homeless or disadvantaged children. Santa Cruz AIDS Project 427-3900 HIV prevention and education. Santa Cruz County Office of Education 476-7140 Homeless Education Outreach office. Santa Cruz Needle Exchange 427-4557 HIV prevention; focuses on harm reduction for intravenous drug users. Youth Crisis Hotline 800/448-4663 Youth Services 425-0771, North County 688-8856, South County Homeless outreach for 12- to 18-year-olds. Does family and individual counseling, provides a clean and sober high school, and works with youth on probation and gang intervention. 24-hour crisis line available for parents and teens, and emergency shelter available up to three nights. [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]