Sonoma CAN (Community Action Network) has been a cornerstone of California’s Sonoma County for nearly 60 years. Recently rebranded, the organization is building on its legacy by adopting a bold approach to ending poverty through social, economic, and racial justice.
While Sonoma County is rich in resources, a lack of connectivity among organizations often results in fragmented and underutilized services — particularly for families facing significant challenges. Key roles like community health workers (CHWs), doulas, peer support specialists, and resource navigators provide invaluable tailored support, yet the absence of a centralized referral system leads to uncoordinated and culturally unresponsive care. Together with key community partners, Sonoma CAN is strengthening the local data-sharing infrastructure needed to prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), address health inequities, and foster collaborative, thriving communities.
“Sonoma CAN is the fiscal sponsor and network member of Sonoma Connect because it aligns to our mission,” explains Cynthia King, CEO of Sonoma CAN. “Our focus is on serving the whole family, not just the parents or the children. That includes early childhood education — such as Head Start and Early Head Start — along with programs in health workforce development, social cohesion, and basic needs like safety.” The organization’s philosophy is grounded in systems transformation. “We’re excited about changing systems, not people.”
This transformation is rooted in a healing-centered approach. “To us, ‘healing-centered’ means looking at individual, relational, and systemic factors holistically,” says Saskia Garcia, Executive Director of Sonoma Connect|Sonoma Unidos (SC|SU). “It’s an assets-based approach that builds on the strengths people bring to the table. More than anything, it’s about a cultural shift — emphasizing the interconnectedness of individual well-being with culture and lived experience.”
A key aspect of SC|SU’s strategy is creating a more integrated, connected service network for families. “Families shouldn’t have to navigate 10 different systems and interfaces on their own,” says Cynthia. “Interoperability is the solution. While there may never be one system for everything, we need to push back against proprietary models that don’t prioritize client needs. The Community Information Exchange (CIE) model excites me most because it starts with the community — putting people at the center of the solution.”
Inspired by the CIE model, which enables the sharing of data among multiple kinds of stakeholders, SC|SU and their partners, including United Way of the Wine Country and Aliados Health, co-designed and implemented the Resource Connection Network (RCN). This platform drives interoperability efforts across organizations and sectors, with the goal of better supporting community members who are navigating and accessing resources. “The goal is really integrated technology focused on referral information exchange and interoperability and having an integrated resource directory,” said Saskia.
For nearly five years, Sonoma CAN and SC|SU have worked with Intrepid Ascent to ensure the success of the RCN. “We’ve done a lot in terms of supporting a cross-sector approach to our local CIE development, and Intrepid has brought many strengths around that because they hold a great deal of knowledge around both the healthcare and the social service side of things,” said Saskia.
The organization is currently collaborating with Intrepid to support negotiations with a Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) to support data-sharing through the California Data Exchange Framework (DxF) and gain a comprehensive understanding of the data exchange infrastructure landscape. “Intrepid’s support has been helpful in developing tools and resources to facilitate effective cross-sector engagement. Additionally, the organization is working with Intrepid on a landscape analysis to prioritize which data systems to integrate, framing this effort as a strategic plan for advancing interoperability,” says Saskia. These efforts represent a critical step toward building a more connected, equitable system that enables communities to thrive.
SC|SU sees many tangible benefits in the community from their work. As part of a collaborative American Rescue Plan Act implementation, they partnered with nine different organizations to do a multipronged approach of both direct services and systems change. Services like one-on-one therapy, group therapy, and wellness workshops at farmworker clinics have been introduced as a result. Additionally, partnerships with local organizations, such as RAICES, have resulted in art and mural installations involving students — a testament to the community-focused ethos of SC|SU.
“The stories that stand out are those of clients accessing critical mental health resources, especially in the wake of COVID,” shares Saskia. “As a network of community-based organizations (CBOs), we’ve also fostered stronger relationships across sectors, advancing shared frameworks for what it means to be a healing-centered and anti-racist network.”
At its core, SC|SU remains committed to being community-led, centering the voices of local families at every stage of its work. By enhancing the capacity of CHWs through shared technology, SC|SU amplifies the impact of frontline service providers. These efforts aim to transform the delivery of mental health, housing, and food support services in ways that empower and uplift the community.
“Our goal is to heal and prevent ACEs while addressing the structural drivers of health,” Saskia concludes. “By improving infrastructure and creating stronger awareness and access to resources, we’re moving beyond care provision — we’re fostering community-power building alongside the people we serve.”
To learn about Sonoma CAN and SC|SU and the impact on the communities they serve, please visit www.sonomaconnect.org and www.capsonoma.org.