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In a rural area like ours, it is important to know there are people looking out for you. Community health centers work to create networks of support to care for the community’s health and well-being. The healthcare system is complex and patient needs are constantly evolving, whether it’s because of a pandemic like COVID, individuals facing new challenges with their own health, or technological advancements like telemedicine. Nationwide, community health centers offer an important social safety net, providing healthcare to every person who needs it, from those who are fully insured to those who are homeless, undocumented, or unable to pay. Adapting to meet the community’s healthcare needs The COVID pandemic exacerbated the nationwide shortage of healthcare providers, and community health centers like MCHC Health Centers are rebuilding and expanding our teams while finding innovative ways to reach out to those who need our services. During the past few months at MCHC, we’ve hired a dozen new providers to provide care across our medical, dental, and behavioral health services. One of MCHC’s largest areas of growth is women’s health. When I started in my role as MCHC’s CEO two years ago, MCHC had just one obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) on staff. We now have four OB/GYNs in addition to a team of certified nurse midwives and women’s health nurse practitioners. The growth of this team means we can offer quality care for the women and babies who live nearby and to people living on the Mendocino Coast, where there are currently no delivery services. Reaching out to the community Community health centers help facilitate connections between people in the community and the care they need. At MCHC, not only do we provide care to those who walk through our doors, but we also reach out to people in the community who might not be aware of our services. We are expanding our support network by hiring and training Community Health Workers (CHWs). These CHWs help community members with everything from planning transportation for a specialist appointment or picking up a prescription to accessing social services like Meals on Wheels, navigating healthcare infrastructure, or grocery shopping together for a healthful diet. Community health centers receive some federal funding, which they turn around and invest back in the community. At MCHC, we engage in outreach efforts year-round. As part of National Health Center Week (August 4-10), teams from MCHC will visit local vineyards to offer self-care kits and resources to field workers and help them get connected to healthcare services. We will also visit the Kids’ Farmers Market in Ukiah, where we’ll offer fun, physically engaging activities for children. As an incentive, we will give every kid who participates a gift certificate to buy something from a farmers’ market vendor. Using technology to connect more people to the healthcare they need As community health centers evolve to meet people’s needs, we want to make sure people can connect to our services as easily as possible. One way we do this at MCHC is by encouraging people to register for the online patient portal (MY Chart), which allows patients to reach out to their providers during and outside of clinic hours and get a response from the appropriate person. The portal saves patients time by allowing them to request appointments, ask about medications, or reach out to a provider with non-urgent questions without playing phone tag or coming into the clinic. As our community’s needs continue to evolve, community health centers are adapting along with them, strengthening the network of support that benefits each person’s health and well-being. Rod Grainger is the CEO of MCHC Health Centers in Mendocino and Lake County.