ALAS Clinic Opened New Mental Health Facility in Salinas
The center provides free mental health services to local farmworkers to help bridge long-standing gaps in access.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Mental Health
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A new mental health clinic has opened its doors at 947 Blanco Circle in Salinas to serve underserved farmworker and immigrant populations. The center offers free mental health care in an effort to provide support for residents who often face significant barriers to treatment.
Why it matters
This facility seeks to address the chronic stress and trauma linked to immigration status and living conditions among local farmworkers. By providing free access, the clinic aims to shorten the 15-year average delay Spanish-speaking Latinos often experience between symptom onset and seeking care.
Data indicates an average 15-year gap between the onset of mental health symptoms and seeking professional care among Spanish-speaking Latinos. This trend highlights the critical need for accessible services to improve population-level health outcomes.
The players
ALAS Clinic
A healthcare provider specializing in free mental health services for farmworkers and immigrant populations.
Kaiser Permanente
A major nonprofit health plan that provided funding for the new Salinas clinic.
Life Science Cares
A life sciences industry collective that funded the expansion of these community mental health services.
The Westly Foundation
A philanthropic organization that contributed financial support to the clinic's new location.
The details
The ALAS Clinic integrates clinical therapy with ancestral spirituality and prayer to better serve the cultural needs of its patients. To reach those living in isolated areas, the clinic operates the Farmworker Equity Express, a mobile behavioral health bus that conducts outreach directly at farmworker camps. The organization plans to expand its services by becoming a Medi-Cal provider in the future.
Timeline
The ALAS Clinic opened its new Salinas location during the week of October 1, 2026.
Health Landscape
The 15-year average delay in mental healthcare seeking among Spanish-speaking Latinos represents a significant hurdle in public health. This clinic's model aims to reverse that trend by integrating culturally grounded care into the existing medical infrastructure.
Residents in the Salinas Valley who are managing chronic stress or trauma related to immigration and living conditions can now access free care at the 947 Blanco Circle location. If you or a family member are struggling with mental health symptoms, consider discussing the benefits of culturally integrated therapy with your primary care physician.
The takeaway
Accessing mental health support early is critical to managing long-term trauma and chronic stress. Residents are encouraged to reach out to local clinics early if symptoms arise, rather than waiting for conditions to become acute.
Further reading
For more information on community resources, visit Mental Health.
More information
For additional details on services and clinic hours, visit the ALAS Clinic.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Santa Cruz Sentinel.
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