Community Press Release:

For Immediate Release: March 20, 2020

Contact: Chloe Guazzone, Board Secretary, Alliance for Rural Community Health

Executive Director, Anderson Valley Health Center

cguazzone@avhc.org / 707-895-3477 x201

Alliance For Rural Community Health press release for the COVID-19 pandemic

The Alliance for Rural Community Health comprises five Federally Qualified Health Centers and one Rural Health Clinic in Mendocino and Lake County serving approximately 51,000 patients.

Our members are:

Mendocino Community Health Clinics with sites in Willits 707-456-9600, Ukiah 707-468-1010 and Lakeport 707-263-7725

Long Valley Health Center in Laytonville 707-984-6131

Mendocino Coast Clinics in Fort Bragg 707-964-1251

Anderson Valley Health Center in Boonville 707-895-3477

Redwood Coast Medical Services in Point Arena and Gualala and 707-884-4005

Baechtel Creek Medical Clinic in Willits 707-459-6861

In addition to our member health centers, there are three Adventist health primary care clinics in Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg.

We are here to provide information about the services provided at our member clinics during this unprecedented time.

With regards to testing:

All of our sites have the capacity to test for Corona-virus. Today, we have the ability to test those who meet the CDC criteria as long as we can continue to maintain a low case-load in our county or “flatten the curve”.

At this point in time, we are testing people that fall within the CDC criteria which is that they have fever of 100.4 AND dry cough, shortness of breath AND have had travel within the last two weeks or contact with someone who has traveled to an area with a high case load or who has tested positive for Coronavirus. Please call our health centers if you have questions about your symptoms and testing.

For people that are ill with symptoms consistent with COVID 19, they should contact their primary care provider at our clinic sites for testing. If a patient is tested, the patient must home-quarantine until the results are available and further direction will be given by your primary care provider. We will follow the guidance from county Public Health regarding maintaining contact with any suspected case.

We are requesting along with our partners in the county that if we are your primary care provider, you seek guidance from our teams by calling our health centers first. This is in an effort to minimize the potential exposure to our patients, staff and the impact on our local hospitals for non-urgent cases. 

With regards to equipment: 

Similar to most places, we all have a limited supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and are working with the county to ensure our stock continues to meet the demand.

With regards to our services:

All of our sites are currently testing our models to adjust our services to telephonic or telehealth visits where possible in order to protect our patients by reducing potential exposure in our facilities. We are also adjusting our waiting room procedures to enforce social distancing. Enhanced infection prevention is occuring at all member sites.

Our dental services continue to see urgent care cases in an effort to reduce strain on the ER.

We continue to fill prescriptions as necessary, and are keeping staff on site to triage, fill prescriptions and see patients. Again, CALL us prior to coming to our sites so we can assess your need appropriately while minimizing your risk to exposure to the Coronavirus.

Finally, we cannot stress enough, how important it is to heed the orders to shelter-in-place. Our local health system can continue to meet the needs of the community if we ensure that the Coronavirus does not take hold in our community. Please stay home to protect your families and our healthcare workers. 

As a reminder we are the safety net providers and are here to provide care to our community regardless of ability to pay. For the latest updates at your local health center be sure to check their websites and social media sites.

Thank you all for your cooperation.

Share Page