State, federal leaders announce partnerships to address healthcare gaps in the Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A new collaboration is expanding access to free contraceptive healthcare in Fresno County.

It's also part of a larger effort to address the shortage of healthcare workers in the Valley and state.

The state says 2.6 million women in California live in what the state calls contraceptive deserts, meaning they don't have an easily reachable health center where they can get those services.

University of San Francisco Fresno already operates a mobile health clinic, UCSF Fresno Mobile HeaL, which provides free healthcare to underserved communities in the county.

That includes agricultural workers, unsheltered people, and those living in rural communities.

Now, it's partnering with Upstream USA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand to contraceptive care.

"Mobile HeaL is a grant donation funded service that not only provides free care," said Dr. Kenny Banh, UCSF Fresno. "It serves as a pathway for future healthcare workers in the region."

That training is key to addressing the ongoing healthcare worker shortage.

Congressman Jim Costa, alongside US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, discussed ways local health leaders, state leaders, and the federal government could partner to help further reduce the shortage.

"We need the state to say we're going to invest in this as well because we have 50 other states that would say we'll put in money for you to come and we have to make the best use of the scarce federal dollars that we get," said Becerra.

Both Costa and Beccera said a lack of educators is part of the reason we're seeing staffing shortages and suggested ways to overcome that hurdle.

"If we could find a program that would increase the number of nurses around the country, in California included, why would we not make an investment because everyone is telling us there is a shortage," said Becerra.

"We just need a good idea, so we can partner up. We can't be counted on to fund it 100%."

Costa highlighted some of the work already underway in the valley and state.

"That's why this medical school that we're working on to become a full-fledged medical school with UCSF and University of California Merced here in Fresno working with our health care facilities is so important that we move forward," said Costa.

According to Fresno County Health data, the teen birth rate is more than 17%, much higher than the state rate of just over 10%.

That's one reason the groups involved in this new partnership felt it was so important to add free contraceptive mobile health services for the Valley.

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