Mission Statement: HMHD is a healthcare district serving the people of Calexico, Calif. Its mission is to be the area’s leading healthcare organization by being a good steward of its finances, a catalyst for the delivery of new and enhanced healthcare services, a consistent supporter of health and wellness, and a reliable healthcare resource for District residents.

Advancing Health and Wellness: HMHD is focusing on implementing and sponsoring programs that increase access and awareness to healthcare services and education for the underserved in the surrounding community by practicing the following tenets: 1) partnering successfully with other healthcare providers to enhance the quality and breadth of healthcare services available to District residents and nearby communities. 2) promoting, supporting, and providing healthcare services related primarily to disease prevention, health education, and wellness. 3) selectively providing financial support for healthcare initiatives that are consistent with the District’s vision and mission. 4) maximizing the value derived from each taxpayer dollar spent through the careful planning and implementation of all Board approved initiatives and; 5) conservatively managing its assets and resources to ensure the long term financial viability of the organization.

Description: The Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District (HMHD) is located in Calexico, CA, a border town 120 miles east of San Diego in Imperial County. HMHD is a healthcare district that closed its acute care hospital in 1998. Since that time HMHD has consisted of a publically elected five (5) member Board with no healthcare facilities and no staff to assist them with their efforts to bring quality healthcare services and education to the City of Calexico. HMHD, as with all other healthcare districts, is funded by its increment of the City’s annual property tax revenues. These tax revenues are utilized by the HMHD Board to benefit the health and well-being of the citizens of the community. The funds are either donated to local health-based organizations that make funding requests, or the funds are used by HMHD to implement new healthcare initiatives. Because HMHD does not have any staff they have worked diligently to form coalitions with the few local care providers, and in some cases bring in industry leaders from outside the area. Some of the more recent initiatives include:

• Expanding urgent care services at one of the local rural health clinics to 24 hours which allows the City residents to not have to drive 15-25 miles to one of the acute care hospital’s emergency departments for after-hour care. This was done in coordination with Pioneers Memorial Hospital’s Calexico rural health clinic.
• HMHD brought a telemedicine program to the community which allows the population much needed access to specialty care, in this case endocrinology (diabetes care). This program is being done in coordination with Clinicas de Salud’s Calexico FQHC, as well as UC San Diego Medical Center’s telemedicine department.
• HMHD also recently worked with the Partners in Care Foundation to bring the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program to the area. The program allows locally trained participants to lead workshops teaching local chronic disease sufferers and their family members to better care for their (or their family member’s) condition. The program is now offered in both English and Spanish.
• HMHD has been diligently working to bring a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to Calexico. Discussions are continuing with St. Paul’s PACE from San Diego to have them bring the state’s first rural PACE to Calexico.

Contact Information: Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District, 601 Heber Ave, Calexico, CA 92231 | napodaca@hotmail.com | (760) 272-5228

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