PBO Advisory Group proudly turns the spotlight on our client Janus of Santa Cruz, one of the most respected, full-service substance use disorder (SUD) treatment centers in Central California, serving over 2,500 clients and their families each year. What started out as a mom-and-pop business nearly 50 years ago has evolved into a fully integrated, private, nonprofit health system that provides a wide range of services to individuals with diverse needs.
Janus of Santa Cruz addresses the extensive needs of its clients with a focus on behavioral health, which is integrated into all services it offers. Its full continuum of care treats SUD and co-occurring disorder treatment including detoxification, inpatient and outpatient treatment, DUI education, medication-assisted treatment, and behavioral health services. Medical and dental care are also provided.
The nonprofit operates a supervised Sober Living Environment (SLE) housing and a perinatal program that provides mothers and their children a place to live while getting treatment, as well as parenting and life skills training. Through its narcotics treatment program, the only such program in Santa Cruz County, 800 patients are served each month. Counseling is also available that addresses the social needs of its clients, including jobs counseling. (For a full list of services, please visit the services page of their website.)
Janus of Santa Cruz is a unique place where clients are treated with dignity, respect, honesty, and authenticity. Embracing the perspective that substance abuse is a medical diagnosis, its leadership is dedicated to decreasing the stigma that goes with such a diagnosis.
One in four individuals struggle with substance abuse and it is the leading cause of death for young adults, ages 18 – 25. The necessity for effective, obtainable services is great and growing. To address the need for immediate help, the organization has created an urgent care model, which allows for those seeking help to walk in and be seen immediately. This approach is not used by similar facilities, which require appointments before a patient may be seen and are often scheduled several weeks out.
The unique approach that Janus of Santa Cruz has developed has led to the organization being named “The Center of Excellence.” Currently, Janus of Santa Cruz is training 12 other organizations how to utilize its approach to services and management.
Amber Williams, the organization’s chief executive officer, has held a variety of positions in the 21 years she has worked at Janus of Santa Cruz. Her leadership emphasizes a “willingness to be the best we can be…and always keep the client at the center of the process.”
With a staff of 150 to oversee, Amber has vast responsibilities. She learned about the benefits of having a fractional CFO versus an in-house CFO and came to the decision that was a good option for her organization. She reached out to PBO Advisory Group, and we have been working closely together to help address and fix finance and accounting issues, including record keeping and billing. We’ve also provided high-level guidance and planning services and we train and mentor internal staff. Our team also helped Janus of Santa Cruz receive Employee Retention Tax Credits.
PBO Advisory Group is proud to be associated with Janus of Santa Cruz. The organization’s dedication to helping individuals and families dealing with SUD and related issues inspires our team. We look forward to continuing to focus on the financial and accounting needs, so the Janus of Santa Cruz team can continue to provide effective, exceptional services and expand its reach in Central California.