Coalition Helps Reopen Community Clinic in Sacramento County

Sacramento County's Oak Park clinic has reopened under the jurisdiction of a growing coalition of community health centers called The Effort, the Sacramento Bee reports.

In December 2008, the county's Board of Supervisors closed the Oak Park center as a result of budgetary strains. Two other county clinics also have been closed because of financial constraints.

The county's primary care clinics provide services for about 50,000 low-income and medically underserved residents.

However, The Effort helped to relaunch the Oak Park center with the help of private donations.
Kaiser Permanente donated $200,000, and Sutter Medical Center provided $176,000 in one-time funding to help restore the clinic's services.

Volunteers from the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society plan to provide care for patients.

In addition, Sacramento County has offered to provide and maintain the building for the clinic at no cost.

The Effort

Last fall, officials designated The Effort as a federally qualified health center, making it eligible for higher Medi-Cal reimbursements.

In addition, the group received a $1.3 million grant from the federal economic stimulus package earlier this year.

The Effort has since worked to further expand its service area and currently operates at 10 sites countywide (Calvan, Sacramento Bee, 7/9).