Moorpark Clinicas Opens and Targets Underserved Community

On Monday, a health clinic aimed at serving the underserved population of Moorpark, opened directly across the street from Moorpark High School.

Operated by Clinicas del Camino Real Incorporated, Moorpark Clinicas had been offering free blood pressure and blood sugar testing all day of Monday.

They are planning to continue offering these free services at various locations around Moorpark throughout the week.

The clinic is the 12th Ventura County clinic opened by the group since its inception in 1971. That year, Mary Hummel, Mamie Barger and Reverend Eleazar H. Echeverria opened the Santa Paula Free Clinic, that was staffed solely by nurses and volunteers to serve the medically underserved population of Ventura County. 

Over the next 40 years, Clinicas steadily grew and now serves over 60,000 patients all over Ventura County.

According to the Clinicas mission statement, “Clinicas’ bilingual and bicultural staff…especially reaches out to members of the community who are traditionally underserved due to limited income, resources, cultural and language barriers…[and] shall also serve as a voice for the under-represented health care client, by informing and educating elected officials and established health care systems of the needs of the underserved health care client.”

What makes this medical facility stand out from the Urgent Care centers and regular medical offices in Moorpark is that Clinicas is classified as a “safety net provider,’ technically known as a CHS/MHS (community health center and migrant health center.)

Safety net providers such as Clinicas serve not only those community members with access to health insurance benefits, but also those who are under-insured as well as those with no insurance. With a dwindling number of medical offices accepting Medicaid and Medicare, Clinicas is widely expected to serve a crucial role in the health of the Moorpark population.

Yvett Urteaga, the manager of the Moorpark location, is looking forward to becoming very involved with the Moorpark community.

“Even though we’re new to the community, we’re here to serve. And not just as a health service provider, but we plan to be involved in community events and outreach, as well as health education. In fact, we’ve already been in touch with the high school about possible programs we can do with them,” said Urteaga.

The Moorpark location will offer a wide range of services ranging from dental to prenatal and mental health services.

Erik Sternad, of Interface Child and Family Services, an organization which provides a range of counseling, educational and mental health services to Ventura County families, believes that this facility will bring positive change to the youth of Moorpark.

“We’re delighted to see the Moorpark Clinicas center open, and Interface looks forward to collaborating with Clinicas as we do at their other sites across the county,” said Sternad.

"Access to care is critical to assure that those in most need can get timely help. Their location near Moorpark High should facilitate ease of access for teens in particular,” said Sternad.

John, a Moorpark resident who’d prefer not to be identified, was hopeful that the location by the high school would be of use to his own family.

He said, "I’ve been out of work for almost a year now, and getting to the doctor isn’t easy for any of us unless it’s an emergency. I’m hoping we all can get a little bit better care now because it’s affordable and close to where we live.”

Just 10 minutes before they were scheduled to close at the end of the first day, the phones were continuing to ring without reprieve, and there were still a handful of prospective patients in the waiting room.  

Although the clinic will be opening in phases as it finishes each certification process, it is officially open for business. If plans go according to schedule, it will be a full-service clinic in a few months.