SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Native American Health Center, also called SNAHC, is expanding.
SNAHC is a nonprofit committed "to continuing and sharing the legacy of a healthy American Indian / Alaska Native community based on cultural values delivered through a traditional, innovative, and accessible patient-centered health home."
On Wednesday, SNAHC opened a community clinic, called SNAHC Florin Road. That's because the center is located on Florin Road in South Sacramento, next to Luther Burbank High School. The new clinic is SNAHC's second location after the midtown Sacramento site.
"SNAHC is extremely invested in the South Sacramento community and its robust grassroots, non-profit, and business organizations," said Dr. Maureen Wimsatt, Chief Program & Development Officer of SNAHC. "We like to say that SNAHC Florin Road is a place that the community built."
The center offers behavioral, dental, medical and supportive services for all, especially Native patients. There's also a Youth and Family Space, called Sali To'a'su Kochang, which roughly translates to "the Foundation that Supports the House" in the local Miwok language.
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The Youth and Family Space was named by Wilton Rancheria Elders and Tribal Council, led by Chairman, Jesus Tarango. The services offered at SNAHC Florin Road were informed by SNAHC-led community discussions and surveys with patients, Tribal leaders and partner agencies.
"SNAHC has been serving South Sacramento since we opened in midtown in 2007, but our goal has always been to remove barriers to care by expanding access into the communities we serve where they are," said Britta Guerrero, chief executive officer of SNAHC. "We are honored to be welcomed into South Sacramento and look forward to bringing our unique combination of care, community and culture to Florin Road."
SNAHC celebrated the opening of the clinic with a ribbon cutting. Some of the guest speakers included Congresswoman Doris Matsui and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
SNAHC Florin Road is an approximately 35,000 square foot facility. The space used to be a vacant auto dealership. Sutter Health invested $3 million to help SNAHC build the new clinic.
"Meaningful and measurable health improvements can start right inside our communities with the appropriate support," said Grace I. Davis, chief public affairs officer for Sutter Health. "Our Community Health Needs Assessments offer the greatest insight into where and how we can make a difference. The SNAHC Florin Road location directly responds to the request for more access to primary care and mental health and substance use help in Sacramento County."
SNAHC Florin Road will double SNAHC's patient population in Sacramento County and serve as an additional location for the provision of quality healthcare for all. To learn more about SNAHC Florin Road, visit the SNAHC website.
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