News & Updates

Grossmont Healthcare District continues support to Mountain Health & Community Services

October 9, 2017 General

An artist’s rendering of the coming 23,500-square-feet health clinic in Campo. (Courtesy photo)

The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is continuing its support of Mountain Health & Community Services, Inc., a non-profit community health center that provides primary care services to low-income and medically underserved residents, many of whom live in rural San Diego County communities.

The GHD board recently approved a $70,000 grant that will provide dental services at Mountain Health’s new health center in Campo, expected to open later this year in the fall. The GHD grant is expected to help provide dental care for more than 400 people in its first year of operation.

In 2016, GHD provided $1 million for new medical equipment at Mountain Health’s Campo facility, to be called Mountain Health Family Medicine. GHD has supported Mountain Health & Community Services with grants since 1998.

“We’re looking forward to the opening of Mountain Health’s new Campo facility and we are proud to support efforts to provide dental services to their patients in Campo,” said Michael Emerson, GHD 2017 board president.

Judith Shaplin, president and CEO of Mountain Health, said the GHD grant will enable Mountain Health to provide dental exams, cleanings, fluoride, sealants, fillings, X-rays, extractions and emergency services. “We serve some of San Diego County’s most vulnerable rural residents,” said Shaplin. “Our new comprehensive primary health center will be a tremendous improvement for patients in the 950-square-mile Mountain Empire region. We’re expecting to see the volume of patients double in our first year.”

Mountain Health’s new 23,500-square-foot clinic in Campo will replace its existing 2,800-square-foot clinic a mile and half away on Highway 94 that has served as the major healthcare facility for rural Mountain Empire residents for decades.

Founded in 1975, Mountain Health operates six federally qualified health centers in Campo, Alpine, Escondido, Santee and San Diego. It also provides health services at several public schools in rural East Region communities. In 2016, Mountain Health said it served more than 8,000 patients, many who live at or below the federal poverty level.