Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center to Open in Ben Lomond January 2022
The nonprofit Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) will open a new clinic in the historic Wee Kirk Church building in Ben Lomond on Monday, January 24 offering primary care services.
“We strive every day to improve the health of our patients and the community,” said Leslie Conner, Chief Executive Officer of SCCH. “We are proud and excited to bring health care services to more families and individuals in the San Lorenzo Valley.”
The Wee Kirk building was previously home to Dr. Steven Leib who retired in November. Dr. Leib and his wife Vivian restored the building in 2014. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Santa Cruz Mountain Health Center will initially be open 30 hours a week with three physicians and a team of support staff with a plan to serve 2,000 San Lorenzo Valley residents regardless of ability to pay.
“We want to serve our patients where they are,” Conner said, noting that many current SCCH patients reside in the San Lorenzo Valley. “SLV is a remote region compared to much of Santa Cruz and it has long been under-served. Our goal is to increase access to high-quality, affordable health care for the mountain community.”
SCCH currently operates the Women’s Health Center in downtown Santa Cruz and the East Cliff Family Health Center in Live Oak. The clinics offer primary care, pediatrics, prenatal care and education, mental health and substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, health insurance enrollment, food distribution, and more. Clinics have been providing Covid testing and Covid vaccines during the pandemic.
Beginning January 10, patients can call 831-427-3500 to schedule appointments.
About Santa Cruz Community Health
Through the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center and the East Cliff Family Health Center, Santa Cruz Community Health (a Federally Qualified Health Center) provides comprehensive primary care services in English and Spanish to all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities, and sexual orientations, regardless of their ability to pay. Seeded by the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center in 1973, SCCH is has maintained a 45-year commitment to its mission: to improve the health of its patients and the community and advocate the feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. SCCH’s health centers serve nearly 21,000 patients through a dedicated staff of medical providers, nurses, licensed clinical social workers, health educators, and administrative staff. SCCH’s clinics offer primary care, pediatrics, prenatal care and education, mental health and substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, health insurance enrollment, food distribution, and more. Learn more at schealthcenters.org, facebook.com/schealthcenters or on Instagram @schealthcenters.
***
Have a story to share? The San Lorenzo Valley Post welcomes your Santa Cruz Mountains news, story ideas, photos, and letters. Send us an email.
Sign up for our newsletter to stay connected to news and events in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The San Lorenzo Valley Post is your essential guide to life in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We're dedicated to delivering the latest news, events, and stories that matter to our community. From local government to schools, from environmental issues to the arts, we're committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased coverage. We believe in the power of community journalism and strive to be a platform for diverse voices.
