Leaders with the Petaluma Health Center unveiled a new, 40-foot long state-of-the-art mobile health unit Friday morning at John Reed Elementary School in Rohnert Park, opening the door to a new era in health care access for many.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Mayra Perez, superintendent of the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, helped present the mobile health unit to the community at a ribbon-cutting Friday.
“For many people in Sonoma County, especially low-income and language-minority residents, access to health care continues to be a challenge,” said Pedro Toledo, chief administrative officer of Petaluma Health Center, in a news release. “With this investment in a brand new state-of-the-art mobile health unit, Petaluma Health Center delivers on its mission and continued promise to increase access to care and eliminate barriers that contribute to health disparities in our community.”
The mobile health clinic will bring care closer to the people who need it most, Toledo added, whether it be near their homes, schools or places of work, where it will bring primary care, mental health and dental care services.
The mobile health clinic features state-of-the-art equipment, including two dental chairs and a medical exam space, and will focus primarily on the Sonoma County area.
“The mobile health center will promote Petaluma Health Center’s founding principle that health care is a right not a privilege,” the news release said.
Dr. Urmila Shende, who served as the COVID-19 vaccine chief for the county, will oversee the center’s school-based mobile clinic program in Rohnert Park and Cotati.
With an annual operating budget of $67 million and more than 500 employees, the Petaluma Health Center provides service to more than 40,000 patients across 12 health care delivery sites in Sonoma and Marin counties.
Amelia Parreira is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at [email protected] or 707-521-5208.