Santa Rosa, CA — To meet the increased demand for low-cost health services for growing numbers of Medi-Cal and uninsured people in living Santa Rosa, Southwest Community Health Center is opening a primary care medical clinic, the Chanate Health Center, at Sutter Medical Center's Chanate Campus on Monday, October 18, 2004.

"The new clinic on Chanate will increase access to much needed medical care for the low-income, uninsured and Medi-Cal patients in our County," said Southwest Community Health Center Chief Executive Officer Naomi Fuchs. "Southwest Community Health Center and Sutter Medical Center have been working together for many years on successful partnerships that serve the most vulnerable in our community - this is another wonderful example of how we can do more when we work together."

The new Chanate Health Center facility is a collaboration between SCHC and Sutter Hospital, which is providing 2,200 square feet of office space as well as medical and office equipment.

"Sutter Medical Center is pleased to be able to work, once again, with SCHC to provide continued access to healthcare services for those Sonoma County residents most in need," said Mike Cohill, Chief Executive Officer of Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa. "We share a common mission with SCHC and this clinic is a natural collaboration."

SCHC, a federally qualified health center founded in 1996 to serve low-income families, has experienced unprecedented growth during the past two years. The community-based clinic's main facility on Lombardi Court is now the health care home for more than 10,000 people and provides more than 40,000 patient visits each year.

With the number of uninsured people in Sonoma County now exceeding 60,000 and other local health resources for low-income families closing or cutting back, SCHC is adding 300 new patients per month. The new satellite clinic site has nine exam rooms and will be staffed by three healthcare providers to try to accommodate this growth need for services for the Medi-Cal and uninsured people in Santa Rosa.

The Chanate Health Center will be open 20 hours per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays under the supervision of SCHC Medical Director Dr. Ben Brown, and will provide acute care medicine as well as treatment for chronic conditions to adults and children. Family planning and obstetrics services will continue to be offered through SCHC's main clinic facility on Lombardi Court.

Services at the Chanate Health Center will be provided on an appointment basis only. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 707-547-2222. No drop-in services at the Chanate Health Center will be offered at this time.

About Southwest Community Health Center

SCHC's scope of services includes primary care, family planning and obstetrics as well as mental health, several specialties, outreach, health education, and advocacy. The majority of SCHC patients are uninsured and live below the federal poverty level. While SCHC receives some reimbursement through MediCal and other government programs, last year SCHC provided more than $750,000 in uncompensated health care services.

In addition to the new Chanate Health Center and primary facility on Lombardi Court in Santa Rosa, SCHC operates three other sites:

• Elsie Allen Health Center, a school-based clinic providing primary care to Elsie Allen High School and other southwest area students;


• Turning Point Satellite Clinic, providing primary medical care to patients in a drug and alcohol residential treatment program run by Drug Abuse Alternatives Center (DAAC);


• Adult Day Health Services at Friends House, serving frail elderly and disabled adults with therapeutic and nursing care while providing caregiver respite services.