MCHC Welcomes Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Stephanie Alvarado

UKIAH, CA — MCHC Health Centers continues to expand its roster of providers by welcoming pediatric nurse practitioner Stephanie “Stess” Alvarado. Alvarado will see pediatric patients at Hillside Health Center in Ukiah.

As a teenager, Alvarado envisioned herself growing up to become a medical provider, but she took a circuitous route to get here. When her parents suggested she pursue a career in teaching instead, wary of the long educational path required of medical providers, she agreed.

Alvarado had nearly completed the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in K-8 education from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, when an encounter with a stressed and overworked teacher made her question how satisfied she would be in the profession.

Alvarado took time off from school to consider her options. When she returned to Emporia State, she changed majors, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish language and culture and a Bachelor of Science in nursing.

Alvarado worked as a nurse for about 10 years, primarily in a behavioral health hospital where she cared for adolescents with suicidality, self-harming behaviors, and difficult home lives, as well as children who were neurodivergent. She also worked as a home health nurse for children with special needs and chronic illnesses.

While working as a nurse, she returned to school to earn a Master of Science in nursing from the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus to become a nurse practitioner.

Alvarado’s experience as a nurse has shaped her approach to medicine and how she supports patients.

“The beauty of being in home health is you have to be creative. You have to work within the means the family has,” Alvarado says. “It’s important to always meet patients and their families where they are, not where you hope they’ll be or where you think they should be.”

This philosophy carries forward into every part of her practice. As a provider, Alvarado prioritizes helping patients and their families work toward their goals and meeting their most important needs.

“I’m just trying to help them get somewhere better tomorrow than they were yesterday, whatever that means to them,” she explains.

Chief Medical Officer Justin Ebert says, “We are excited to welcome Stess to our pediatric team. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that I know will greatly enhance our ability to serve our community’s children and provide them with the best possible care.”

When working with young patients and their caregivers, Alvarado says building trust begins as soon as she enters the room.

“I think it’s important from the second you walk in the door to have a calm but friendly aura,” she says. She tailors her approach to meet each family’s needs, taking patients’ ages and unique circumstances into consideration. On any given day, she might see newborns, young adults, and everyone in between. With adult family members in the mix, she sometimes helps families navigate conflicts, such as when an adolescent has concerns that clash with their parents’ views, or when family members disagree on a treatment plan.

Whatever the situation, Alvarado prioritizes open conversations with patients and families, communicating as clearly as possible and asking questions to avoid confusion. She sometimes uses American Sign Language (ASL) to connect with younger patients who are not verbal or who have hearing or speech deficits. She is also conversational in Spanish and is working to increase her medical vocabulary in both Spanish and ASL.

“I’ve always been passionate about communication,” Alvarado says. Whenever possible, she prefers to speak directly with patients and families rather than relying on a translator. The fewer people information has to travel through, the less room there is for miscommunication.

As a pediatric nurse practitioner, Alvarado knew she wanted to work in a setting where the priorities matched her own. She applied to both nonprofit children’s hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) like MCHC, places where “it’s all about the patient and their overall well-being.”

Alvarado and her husband of 16 years recently relocated to Ukiah from Colorado. They hope to purchase a home with acreage and raise animals, including chickens. In Colorado, they had chickens and frequently provided eggs to friends, neighbors, and people in need. She loves learning new languages, is moving up the ranks in chess, and dabbles in other interests like saber fencing and anthropology.

“I probably have a new hobby I’m reading about every week,” she says with a laugh.

MCHC Health Centers includes Hillside Health Center and Dora Street Health Center in Ukiah, Little Lake Health Center in Willits, and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport. It is a community-based and patient-directed organization that provides comprehensive primary healthcare services as well as supportive services such as education and translation that promote access to healthcare.