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Groundbreaking Held for New Health Facility in Oceano

By Theresa-Marie Wilson ~

Construction is underway at the future site of a much-needed medical facility in Oceano. The state-of-the-art, 13,263 sq. ft., campus is expected to open in the spring of 2017. It will be Community Health Centers’ (CHC) twenty-ninth facility in the county.

About 50 people attended groundbreaking ceremonies at the site of the new facility located at 2120 Cienega St.

CHC groundbreaking Oceano

“This is a new chapter in the life of Community Health Centers,” said CHC CEO Ronald Castle. “Our first clinic was in Nipomo in a little 1,300 s.f. house. The living room was the waiting room, the bedrooms were the exam rooms and the kitchen was the lab.”

The new campus will have 11 exam rooms, seven dental operatory spaces, and offer primary care, immediate care, family dentistry, mental health treatment, health education and pharmacy service.

“I’m very proud of the fact that Community Health Centers has been able to be a major part in the rollout of Obama care,” Castle said. “The need for healthcare is great in our community. This facility will serve an underserved population.”

A CHC employee who grew up in Oceano said the new healthcare facility is a welcome addition to the community.

CHC groundbreaking Oceano-4“The opening of the new Oceano clinic is going to bring in a lot of services to the residents here,” said CHC Clinic Manager Erika Guijarro. “Having a complete clinic that is going to offer dental, primary care and other auxiliary services is going to be great, and our patients can stay in the community.”

The new facility will be inspired in part by the memory of the late Dr. Graciela Sarmiento who had a general medicine practice and served as medical director at the existing CHC Oceano clinic. Sarmiento and four other people were killed in 2010 when their small plane crashed on a humanitarian mission to Mexico.

“I know her spirit is here,” said Castle. “The people who called her doctor and came to that facility will come to this facility, and we will make them feel at home. A lot of memorabilia from Dr. Sarmiento will be in this new building. We are never going to forget her and the contributions she made.”

The smaller CHC facility a few blocks down the road will be used to provide medical services to the homeless population, according to CHC Communications Director Steve Mahr.

“This has come fill circle for this community,” said Mahr. “We had a small clinic here that we struggled in the beginning to make sure that people understood that we had services here. I think with this beautiful new facility the timing is right. Now that we have the Affordable HealthCare Act, people will have greater access with their insurance plans and Medical expansion. People are going to be much better equipped to utilize the services. A clinic like this represents what CHC is all about, providing access in underserved areas for people who need it most.”

The facility comes in at $7,214,000. Funding is provided as part of the New Market Tax Credits ($ 1 million from US Bank and $11 million from LIIF or Low Income Investment Fund). New Market Tax Credits was established in 2000 with the goal of spurring revitalization efforts of low-income and impoverished communities across the country..

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Justin Stoner

Justin is a journalist of more than 20 years. He specializes in digital technology and social media strategy. He enjoys using photography and video production as storytelling tools.