Health & Healing at Barrios Unidos
Barrios Unidos is proud to serve as a trusted health institution rooted in cultural healing and community resilience. We offer a unique, holistic approach to health that combines medical and mental health connections, substance use disorder (SUD) counseling and treatment, Indigenous-based wellness practices, and rapid response health services. Our programs are designed to address the needs of historically underserved and marginalized communities, including low-income, BIPOC, and system-impacted individuals.
Through strong partnerships with the Central Coast Alliance for Health and participation in Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (MAA) through the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), we help our clients access critical medical care and public health benefits. Whether it’s connecting individuals to a primary care physician or helping them navigate Medi-Cal enrollment, our team serves as a bridge between the community and the healthcare system.
Our team includes two certified Substance Use Disorder (SUD) counselors, both of whom have lived experience with addiction and recovery. This personal insight deeply informs our approach, offering clients empathy, understanding, and real-world guidance. Our SUD services are evidence-based and trauma-informed, providing both one-on-one counseling and group support as part of each client’s healing journey.
At Barrios Unidos, our programs function as comprehensive systems navigation services. We guide clients through every step of the care process—from initial intake and assessment to referrals for detox, residential treatment, outpatient therapy, housing support, and beyond. By coordinating with local health clinics, behavioral health providers, and recovery services, we ensure our clients are never alone in their healing process.
A cornerstone of our health programming is the Walter Guzman Retreat Center, located in the serene Aptos mountains. This sacred site includes a traditional Sweat Lodge Ceremony, practiced and maintained by trained ceremonial leaders for over three decades. Our sweat lodge and Indigenous healing practices have supported generations of individuals in achieving sustained recovery from substance use and managing symptoms of mental health disorders. These practices are rooted in ancestral knowledge and supported by decades of community-based, evidence-informed success.
In times of emergency, we also act swiftly. In partnership with Direct Relief, Barrios Unidos is equipped to provide rapid response with medical supplies, including hygiene kits, emergency medications, PPE, and essential care items. Whether responding to local crises or supporting unhoused community members, we deliver timely, life-saving resources when they are most needed.
At Barrios Unidos, healing means more than treating symptoms—it means restoring wholeness through connection, culture, and community. We invite individuals and families seeking support to reach out and begin their healing journey with us.