Clinicas de Salud del Pueblo (“Clinicas”) has provided critical medical, dental, and mental health services to some of the most diverse and impoverished communities in the U.S. For over 30 years, the organization’s Blythe Health Center, located near the California/Arizona border, has treated low-income community members, people experiencing homelessness, and migrant adults and children of Blythe from a small, 6,500 sq. ft. limited-service facility.

A recent study conducted for Clinicas concluded that Clinicas’ Blythe facility should expand to meet the community’s needs. This study found that residents in Blythe face more health challenges than California as a whole. Adults have diabetes, obesity, and hypertension rates higher than the state average, yet adults are not seeking care due to high costs. For Blythe residents, accessing dental care is also challenging, as residents need to drive about 1.5 hours to Indio.

This NMTC project involves the renovation of a 16,200 sq. ft. space to create the new clinic, which would increase patient capacity and add new medical services, including expanded primary care, dental, radiology, pharmacy, and integrated behavioral health. The new clinic is projected to increase its unique patients served annually from 3,334 to 8,000, 81% of whom are projected to be low-income and 91% of whom are projected to be minorities. Approximately 1,332 clients will be at-risk youth. Recognizing that treatment is just one part of achieving healthy outcomes, Clinicas has developed an innovative, integrated collection of services and targeted outreach and education.

Clinicas’ Outreach Department staff includes bilingual case managers and “promotores” who help patients navigate the healthcare system. Outreach Department staff assist patients in accessing care, scheduling appointments, arranging transportation or referrals, and providing translation services for referrals.

Project Community Impacts: 48.3 FTE permanent jobs projected to be created or retained (40.14 for low-income individuals, all paid living wages and receiving benefits), 20 projected construction jobs (10 for low-income individuals, all paid living wages), 8,000 projected unique individuals served annually (81% low-income and 91% minority).