A much needed environmental focus is being prioritized in a Desert Healthcare strategic plan

The Desert Healthcare District Board approved what they call its high-priority strategic plan and goals for the next two years. They shared that community initiatives strengthening the Coachella Valley’s environment will be one of three priorities for the District and Foundation’s grantmaking process in the future.

“As I think we can all understand environmental health is a major, major issue,” says Chris Christensen. 

Christensen is interim CEO of the Desert Healthcare District, they approved to prioritize three major issues in the valley for the next two years.

See the list below that the Desert Care Health District Board deemed high-priority:

• Proactively expand community access to primary and specialty care services
• Proactively expand community access to behavioral/mental health services
• Be responsive to and supportive of selected community initiatives that enhance the environment in the District’s service area, through these strategies: 
  • Play a role in raising awareness of the impact of air quality in the Coachella Valley on the health of community residents and be a catalyst for community organizations to act in implementing solutions
  • Play a role in raising awareness of the impact of poor water quality in the Coachella Valley on the health of community residents and be a catalyst for community organizations to act in implementing solutions.

With those goals in mind, what does success look like in two years?

“Well, hopefully, what we would like to see is that, since there are some shortages in some of those areas with regard to primary care, specialty care providers, as well as behavioral health providers does that we’re hoping to see that the needle moves to being able to increase the number of providers in those areas,” says Christensen.

On December 19th, The District and Foundation Board approves prioritizing an environmental focus as a part of its strategic plan at their last meeting of 2023. “We are in the process of developing an environmental health summit that we’re looking to put together probably in the fall. 

If you are hoping to get involved, look into going to the next board meeting on January 23rd.

We have been tracking the poor air quality and water issues in the East Valley.