UKIAH – At their recent meeting, the Board of Directors of Alliance for Rural Community Health (ARCH) voted to admit two new associate members: The Cancer Resource Centers of Mendocino County (CRCMC) and Ukiah Valley Medical Center (UVMC). Sara O’Donnell, CRC’s Executive Director, and Terry Burns, Chief Executive Officer for UVMC, will represent their organizations.
 
According to ARCH Board Chair Kent Westwood of Laytonville, “As in the rest of our nation, Mendocino County’s system of health care is facing monumental challenges. Healthcare costs continue to rise. For-profit insurers clamor to bolster the bottom line as millions drain from our county. There is increased competition for a dwindling pool of qualified clinicians. In Mendocino County, healthcare employers are having increasing difficulty recruiting medical professionals, in part because of our County’s high cost of living. If something is not done, these hard facts set the stage for a serious local crisis in accessing services in the near future. By bringing local healthcare stakeholders together at a single table, ARCH will be leading a new examination of meaningful local solutions.”
 
“Joining ARCH,” comments Terry Burns, “allows UVMC to bring the voice of acute care to ARCH’s vigorous rural health collaboration. In large measure, our rural area has its primary care needs met by ARCH’s member centers. Working with ARCH is already affecting UVMC’s strategic planning and service offerings, specifically in the areas of laboratory services and physician recruitment. By working together to address our challenges, we believe we increase our collective ability to sustain our local system of care.”
 
In commenting on CRC’s new membership status, Executive Director Sara O’Donnell comments, “ARCH membership is going to give the CRC an enhanced ability to stay abreast of state and federal health policy, enabling us to take a more active advocacy stance on behalf of the clients we serve. The CRC works to create an obstacle-free pathway to care for those affected by cancer. By strengthening relationships with the local healthcare providers allied through ARCH, we think we can help our clients receive even better care in their home communities.”
 
ARCH is a local nonprofit organization that supports the work of community health centers in Lake and Mendocino Counties. Formed 10 years ago by six community health centers, ARCH seeks collaborative and cost-effective ways to address community healthcare issues.

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