AltaMed Health Services Corporation (AltaMed) has announced a merger that will make Community Care Health Centers (CCHC) a regional unit of the AltaMed Primary Health Care Division. Anticipated finalization of the merger is December 1, 2007 when AltaMed expects to receive final approval by the Attorney General of the State of California. The merger will combine two of the leading Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) operating in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, and will result in CCHC clinics being re-licensed under AltaMed. The merger will provide a springboard for launching a new division of AltaMed in Orange County.
AltaMed is among five of the largest FQHCs in the United States, and it has been providing quality health care to the working poor and medically underserved in Southern California for more than 38 years. AltaMed regularly serves more than 66,000 families each year, providing community access to medical and dental clinics, youth programs, prevention and treatment for HIV/AIDS and substance abuse, and comprehensive senior services such as adult day health care centers, case management, and the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).
“We look forward to a merger that builds on the individual strengths of both organizations to better provide for the working poor and medically underserved populations of Orange County, which is consistent with the mission statements of both organizations,” said Cástulo de la Rocha, J.D., president and CEO of AltaMed. “Those missions emphasize access to quality, affordable, primary health care for the medically underserved, with particular interest in addressing health disparities afflicting this segment of the community.”
The CCHC organization brings more than 37 years of history, experience, and knowledge of serving the needs of the medically underserved in Orange County. As such, AltaMed intends to build on the long standing primary programs and services of CCHC, as well as introduce its own successful adult day health care, long term care, and PACE programs to the senior and frail elderly populations of Orange County. The merger brings five medical and dental care clinic sites in the communities of Santa Ana, Orange, and Huntington Beach that will continue to operate under the name of Community Care Health Centers, as a division of AltaMed. Over 90,000 medical and dental visits are expected in the first year from a core customer population of medically underserved.
“This merger effectively strengthens the health care safety net access in Orange County, by expanding our programs, services and quality health care,” said Jacqueline Cherewick, M.B.A., president and CEO of CCHC. “We’re bringing a much needed service to the working poor, to keep them healthy, keep them working, and help them be productive members of their communities.”
About CCHC
Prior to the merger with AltaMed, CCHC grew into one of the largest unaffiliated non-profit community clinic network in Orange County. CCHC’s chartered mission is to lead in providing high quality, affordable, accessible health care to people in need. CCHC serves the entire Orange County and targets the working poor and medically underserved. After over 37 years of providing health care access, CCHC has emerged a key stakeholder in the local health care safety net with 35 collaborative partnerships countywide and a patient capacity of 30,000 unduplicated patients and 90,000 patient visits by the end of 2007.
About AltaMed
AltaMed Health Services has been providing quality health care to the underserved and uninsured in Southern California for more than 38 years. It regularly serves more than 66,000 families each year, providing community access to medical and dental clinics, complete senior services, including adult day health care centers, case management, and the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), youth programs as well as HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention and treatment. AltaMed is among five of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the United States. Community Health Centers are not required to be accredited; but AltaMed has three JCAHO accreditations in ambulatory care, home health and behavioral health, which validate its standard of providing excellent quality of care.
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