Healthy Petaluma, Celebrating 80 Years, Seeks To Reach Beyond Hospital Walls

PETALUMA, CA — Healthy Petaluma began by securing hospital care. Eighty years later, the district still helps make care accessible but is also faced with tackling health needs that reach into the homes and daily lives of residents like housing and food.

Healthy Petaluma said the organization distributed $3 million to community organizations last year as Sonoma County residents confronted gaps in medical and dental care, mental health and substance use needs, and isolation among seniors and young people.

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The funding supports organizations that deliver health and wellness services across the region.

It also reflects how the district's responsibilities have expanded since voters established the Petaluma Hospital District in October 1946.

Now marking its 80th anniversary, Healthy Petaluma District and Foundation is designed to bring health systems, nonprofits, and community leaders together to identify needs and coordinate responses. Residents also identify housing, basic necessities, and the local economy as concerns.

The organization's efforts to recruit and retain healthcare providers have brought new physicians to the community and improved access to care, according to Healthy Petaluma.

Its Blue Zones Project Petaluma initiative creates opportunities for adults and students to connect socially, addressing isolation and supporting mental health.

Community grants fund both programs and daily operations at organizations serving southern Sonoma County. Those investments address housing, food security, education, and health equity, according to Healthy Petaluma's CEO, Ramona Faith.

"Reaching this milestone is a testament to the power of local partnership and community trust," Faith said.

The district built and opened Hillcrest Hospital in 1957 and opened Petaluma Valley Hospital in 1980.

The organization later expanded its mission beyond hospital administration, operating as Petaluma Health Care District before becoming Healthy Petaluma.

Initiatives have included establishing Petaluma Health Center, southern Sonoma County's first Federally Qualified Health Center, and developing the HeartSafe Community program, which provides CPR training.

The district also maintains an accountability role for Petaluma Valley Hospital following its sale to Providence in 2021. That work seeks to preserve local acute care and a 24-hour, full-service emergency department.

"Serving this district has shown me firsthand the profound difference local stewardship makes," board President Elece Hempel said in a statement. She said she was immensely proud of the board and the organization's leaders who have "listened to the community and stood up for local health needs."

Healthy Petaluma now follows a "community-informed" strategic plan. Leaders review strategies and priorities quarterly and adjust the work plan as needs change.

Those include the Covid pandemic's continuing effects, the political environment, and the economy as factors shaping its response.

The Association of California Healthcare Districts named the organization Healthcare District of the Year in 2015, honored Hempel as Trustee of the Year in 2019, and named Faith CEO of the Year in 2025.