Our History
In 1968 a Federal outreach program, Project FIND, was conducted with twelve pilot geographical regions for the purpose of identifying elders in need.   Santa Cruz County was chosen for the project because of its high concentration of older residents. Ansel Adams and a team of University of California Santa Cruz Extension students provided eloquent visual documentation in IMAGES AND WORDS; The Making of a Photographic Book to supplement the survey findings completed by community volunteers and social workers. Those same volunteers and social workers later became involved in building the strong foundation for what became Senior Network Services.

Senior Network Services is a community resource agency serving all of Santa Cruz County that links older adults and persons with disabilities with support services essential to their physical and mental well-being. The focus is on helping people continue to live independent, fulfilling lives at home by giving them access to necessary information and resources.  

Over the years, Senior Network Services has grown to include several programs in addition to their core Information and Assistance and Case Management services.  

One, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), assists those with Medicare to appeal denied claims, evaluate coverage, understand Supplemental Health Insurance, HMO's, and Long Term Care Insurance issues.  

Another program, Senior Housing, publishes Housing Options for Seniors in Santa Cruz County , provides detailed information and counseling to seniors regarding their housing options, and assists seniors in finding shared housing arrangements.

Our Home Help and Respite Registry programs match qualified, affordable home care and home maintenance workers with seniors needing services, and also relieves caregivers in the home.  

The Money Management program assists seniors in paying bills, balancing checkbooks, reconciling bank statements, making deposits, budgeting finances and organizing records.

Through the Linkages Care Management Program, care managers assist seniors and adults with disabilities in arranging and coordinating services they need to continue living independently.

Other general services include outreach to the homebound, help with filling out government forms and applications, advocacy on behalf of older adults, educational presentations addressing issues important to senior citizens, and the publication of a senior resource directory.