20 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 5-11, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com A Wide Net State funds mean a county health clinic in Marina can expand, serving triple the patients. By Wendy Root Askew FORUM Ten years ago, a coalition of community leaders led by First 5 Monterey County identified key indicators that would meaningfully improve the health of our community. One data point that many found shocking at that time was that 25 percent of local moms received late or no prenatal care. Given that the vast majority of births (over 70 percent) in our county are covered by Medi-Cal and our county health clinics offer free care for these patients, the data point was especially concerning—what was preventing expecting moms from getting care? With a sustained focus on reducing health disparities, we’ve succeeded in improving access to care as evidenced by our 2021 report showing that 86.5 percent of pregnant women received early prenatal care. We’ve come a long way. And as we continue to look to the future, there is exciting news to report. When I took office in 2021 I identified the need for a new Marina Health Clinic as a top priority. I am thrilled that this project has been selected as a priority by Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay. On Saturday, Sept. 23, Addis gathered with Health Department representatives and Marina City Council members at the tiny Marina Family Health Center to present a check for $1.5 million that will allow the County of Monterey to move forward with plans to build a brand-new primary care clinic. The new clinic will mean more than tripling the number of exam rooms as well as adding a dental office to serve thousands of Medi-Cal patients. The Marina Health Clinic is part of a county-run FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center) network of primary care and specialty clinics that primarily serve Medi-Cal members. At present, the Marina Clinic can only serve about 2,500 patients per year, and is the only full-time safety net clinic in the city of Marina. However, there are close to 9,000 eligible residents in its service area who qualify for care at an FQHC clinic and who need access to primary health care. While the care provided at our Marina Clinic is consistently rated as exceptional, the facility is outdated, overcrowded and woefully inadequate to meet the needs of our community. By expanding access to health care services and investing in preventive care, we can improve the health of our residents—especially those who have been disproportionately affected by health disparities—and reduce health care costs for everyone. This is an investment in our future that we cannot afford to ignore. This state funding is the first step in securing a location and building this future clinic to help ensure those who need health care can get it. I urge you to join me in supporting access to health care for all because everyone deserves to be healthy, regardless of their income or zip code. Access to health care remains a top concern for residents across our region, and I am so excited that this project is on track to be built in the years to come. Wendy Root Askew is the county supervisor representing District 4, which includes Marina. OPINION Everyone deserves to be healthy. montagehealth.org/ohana
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