About

Our Mission

HIP creates opportunities for local healthcare leaders to strengthen the safety net and improve our community’s health.

Our Vision

We envision HIP as a catalyst for collective action to achieve an anti-racist healthcare system that ensures health equity.

Our History

For over two decades, the Health Improvement Partnership of Santa Cruz County (HIP) has embodied the power of collaboration to transform health in our community. Founded on the belief that partnership—not competition—is the key to lasting change, HIP has brought together leaders across sectors to ensure that everyone in Santa Cruz County has access to the care and support they need to thrive.

HIP’s roots trace back to 2002, when Santa Cruz County’s Health Services Agency received a federal Community Access Program (CAP) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Visionary local leaders used this opportunity to formalize a coalition of safety net clinics and launch the Care Coordinating Council, planting the seeds for HIP’s core philosophy: collaboration over competition to improve health outcomes.

HIP’s roots trace back to 2002, when Santa Cruz County’s Health Services Agency received a federal Community Access Program (CAP) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Visionary local leaders used this opportunity to formalize a coalition of safety net clinics and launch the Care Coordinating Council, planting the seeds for HIP’s core philosophy: collaboration over competition to improve health outcomes.

By 2004, HIP had officially incorporated, taking on its first mission: tackling healthcare access issues for uninsured and publicly insured residents. Over time, HIP expanded its work from improving clinical care to championing whole-person, community-centered approaches to health.

Today, HIP continues to seed coalitions, build trust, and bridge public and private sectors to solve problems no single organization can tackle alone. Our work has reshaped the local healthcare ecosystem, improving access, equity, and quality of care for thousands of residents.

As we look to the future, we remain guided by the same principles that sparked our creation—shared vision, innovation, and equity. HIP is explicitly embedding anti-racism and health equity into every aspect of our work, ensuring that our collaborative spirit continues to create a healthier, more just Santa Cruz County for all.

Pivotal moments that shaped HIP’s evolution

2009 – Triple Aim Leadership: Joining the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim initiative, HIP expanded its focus to improving health outcomes, enhancing patient experience, and lowering costs for the entire community.
2015 – Deepening Our Mission: HIP refined its work around systems, quality, relationships, and access to care, recognizing that solving complex health challenges requires holistic, interconnected solutions.
2020 and Beyond – Meeting Emerging Challenges: From COVID-19 response to workforce development, CalAIM implementation, overdose prevention, and child wellness, HIP has consistently remained nimble—mobilizing leaders, aligning resources, and driving action on urgent health issues.

Pivotal moments that shaped HIP’s evolution

2009 – Triple Aim Leadership: Joining the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim initiative, HIP expanded its focus to improving health outcomes, enhancing patient experience, and lowering costs for the entire community.
2015 – Deepening Our Mission: HIP refined its work around systems, quality, relationships, and access to care, recognizing that solving complex health challenges requires holistic, interconnected solutions.
2020 and Beyond – Meeting Emerging Challenges: From COVID-19 response to workforce development, CalAIM implementation, overdose prevention, and child wellness, HIP has consistently remained nimble—mobilizing leaders, aligning resources, and driving action on urgent health issues.

HOW WE SUCCEED

CONVENING

We convene health care leaders from diverse health, social service, and community-based organizations to drive system-wide improvements and tackle complex health care challenges that no single organization can address alone.

CULTIVATE LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR COLLECTIVE IMPACT

We create space for local health care leaders to build collaborative, trust-based relationships. By fostering meaningful connections and aligning efforts, we help drive collective impact.

CONNECTOR & STRATEGIC FACILITATOR

We maintain a comprehensive understanding of the local health landscape, identifying opportunities for collaboration and bridging gaps between organizations.

CAPACITY BUILDING

We secure funding to provide member organizations with training, resources, and ongoing support to strengthen their ability to achieve impact. Members play a key role in the implementation of new initiatives aimed at building local capacity.

ACCESS TO PROVEN SOLUTIONS

We facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges of proven solutions, providing members unique access to leadership insights and best practices that drive continuous ecosystem-wide improvement.

COALITION BUILDING

Our efforts are driven by local priorities and data-driven community needs identified by our network. We engage key influencers to advance practice and collective action, creating lasting, meaningful change.