MODESTO BEE
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

By KEN CARLSON
BEE STAFF WRITER

Last Updated: December 7, 2005, 05:15:13 AM PST

Stanislaus County supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the relocation of clinics and other programs in an effort to reduce Health Services Agency deficits.
The clinic reorganization and a 20 percent reduction in patient volumes — plus an infusion of cash from the general fund — are expected to stabilize the agency's fiscal health the rest of this year and next year.

But the agency still is facing a $2 million loss in 2007-08, and more cuts may be necessary if the county is unable to find additional revenue sources for its clinic system, county staff said.

Tuesday's action approved a plan for remodeling the Paradise Medical Office in west Modesto and the McHenry Medical Office on Woodrow Avenue to house ser-vices relocated from other sites in the next seven months.

It also forces nonmedical services out of the Paradise center, including the Women Infant and Children Program used by 10,500 Modesto residents.

During the public hearing Tuesday, no one opposed the relocation of the WIC clinic to the Community Services Agency complex on Hackett Road or any other aspects of the facilities plan.

Moving to the Paradise center will be family practice services and the Family Medicine Residency Program, currently housed at the county's Scenic Drive campus.

Other tenants leaving the Paradise center by Feb. 15 will include the Stanislaus Literacy Center and a social services office, moving next door. The Children and Families Commission is arranging for an office in downtown Modesto.

Women's Health and high-risk obstetrics will relocate from the Medical Arts Building on 17th Street to the McHenry clinic. The McHenry office also will take on more family practice patients.

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