More Than Just a Check
Grant plus expertise helped community clinic win $9 million from feds
How do you turn $20,000 into $9 million?
A Kaiser Permanente Marin Sonoma Community Benefit $20,000 grant helped the Petaluma Health Center secure nearly $9 million in federal stimulus funding—dollars that will ultimately mean more of the area's uninsured have a medical home.
The CB grant helped the center assess its needs and supported the process of planning a new building, which breaks ground in central Petaluma this summer.
KP provided much more than a check to the center. The National Facilities Services shared expertise that was instrumental in helping this safety net clinic secure the federal grant, said Andrea Michelsen, KP Community Benefit Manager, Marin/Sonoma. And that federal money will allow them to more than double the center's capacity--from 14,000 patients to nearly 30,000 patients a year once the new building opens in 2011.
Working with National Facilities Services' Mark Brna and his colleagues, the Petaluma Health Center learned the nuts and bolts of building a new medical facility cost effectively and ecologically.
The NFS team explained what's included in total project costs—items like permit fees, moving expenses, and furniture; helped center employees develop a timeline; and shared Kaiser Permanente best practices with them.
"All the information Mark Brna gave us, all the insight NFS shared, all the teaching helped me write about a design and construction project. All of it contributed to a fantastic application for a building that will make such a difference in the lives of low-income people in this county," said Kathryn E. Powell, CEO of Petaluma Health Center. "We are tremendously grateful to Kaiser Permanente."
The health center will receive $8.9 million in stimulus funds and $500,000 in additional federal appropriations to expand existing facilities in a new 50,000-square-foot building located just a mile from their current location.
Because of capacity issues at its current location, the clinic turns away at least 450 people each month. The new building will enable the only safety net provider in southern Sonoma County to double the number of exam rooms and increase staff. The new building breaks ground this summer and is slated to open next June.
"It's been incredibly rewarding to watch them be successful," said Mark Brna, Team Manager, Capital Projects, Kaiser Permanente National Facilities Services, Marin Sonoma Service Area. "I am pleased we are continuing our collaboration, which will include helping the clinic identify opportunities for green and sustainable practices. I look forward to helping build a good and healthy environment for the Petaluma Health Center and the community we serve."
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