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Bio:
By John Pavoni, MCHC Board Chair  Twenty-three years ago, I began one of the most personally rewarding and satisfying roles I have ever had: being on the board of MCHC Health Centers (MCHC). I’d like to share with you some of the reasons I find this work so rewarding, and if these resonate with you, to ask you to consider volunteering your time and talent. MCHC is a non-profit organization that has been at the forefront of community healthcare in Lake and Mendocino Counties for more than 30 years. Our mission is simple yet profound: to provide compassionate, high-quality care for our communities. We are dedicated to breaking down barriers to healthcare and improving the overall health and wellness of those we serve. This mission means a lot to me. I believe everyone deserves access to healthcare, and by serving on the board, I get the opportunity to help make sure our most vulnerable neighbors can receive the medical, dental, and behavioral health services they need. The board members I serve with, the staff members I interact with, and the community members I’ve gotten to know through this work represent a diverse group of individuals who share a passion for community health. And now that we are expanding our services in Willits, I’m looking forward to supporting that effort—a project that will help set the direction for the future of healthcare in Mendocino County. MCHC is a federally qualified health center (FQHC), which means we belong to a class of community health centers designated by the Bureau of Primary Health Care and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to serve medically underserved communities. One of the requirements of FQHCs is that at least 51% of board members be patients who currently receive the clinic’s services. This allows patients’ needs to influence important decisions about how the clinic is managed and what additional service(s) may be needed. I really believe this is a big part of why MCHC has expanded so successfully over the years. MCHC pays attention to what people in the community need and that allows its outreach efforts to connect with a wide variety of audiences. I’m also proud to support an organization that hires from within and serves as an important source of employment and economic vitality in the community. As I mentioned at the outset, we are looking for additional board members. We represent a full-service health organization where patients feel valued, employees feel valued, and board members feel valued. Being on the board doesn’t take as much time as you might think. MCHC’s staff provides us with the in-depth information we need to make well-considered decisions. The time commitment is minimal, and it depends on how much you wish to be involved. Regular board meetings are once a month. Additional committee meetings can be once or twice a month. If you cannot attend physically, you can join via video chat or call in on your phone. If you’d like to learn more about serving as a board member, contact MCHC’s administrative office at 707-472-4516. We’ll invite you to a board meeting so you can see how we work. The only experience you need to be a board member is your life experience. We can teach you any procedural stuff. If you are community-minded, enjoy being part of a mission bigger than yourself, and are passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of our community members (and the people who serve them), please contact us. John Pavoni is the board chair at MCHC Health Centers—a local, non-profit, federally qualified health center offering medical, dental, and behavioral health care to people in Lake and Mendocino Counties.