LATINO HEALTH: Oakland Clinic Expands To Contra Costa

      La Clinica de La Raza, the Oakland-based nonprofit health center for indigent Latinos, plans to "stretch its services to Contra Costa County." La Clinica will open a new medical and dental office at two locations in Pittsburg in September, according to Jane Garcia, the center's executive director. "One of the things we've said in Alameda County is that we're about choice and empowerment -- empowering the community to make decisions about their health care. The same will be true for Contra Costa County," Garcia said. The two new clinics in Pittsburg will provide "prenatal care, dental, eye, mental health services and social services."

Good Start
      The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the two new clinics are "the result of a $500,000 federal grant;" La Clinica "was one of only two health centers to receive the federal New Start grant to open a new clinic." A dental clinic funded by a state Healthy Start grant "will move into La Clinica's dental office in Pittsburg." Garcia said, "The federal grant allows us to collaborate with other clinics and their (Healthy Start clinic) funding was nearing an end. We had an opportunity to stabilize the clinic and help it grow."

Come On Down
      The Chronicle reports that La Clinica "may become the provider for the Contra Costa Health plan," the county's public HMO. Contra Costa health officials "have been clamoring for La Clinica's services," Garcia said. "There are enough poor folks to go around. It's a tragedy to say that in booming economic times, but that's the reality," said Frank Puglisi, executive director of the Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center (Heredia, 7/18). Click Latino health to read California Healthline coverage of other efforts in the state to reach out to this population.