Community partners, staff and board members of the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center Inc. gathered Thursday to celebrate the long-awaited completion of the remodel and expansion of their Canyon Country Health Center.
While the center was closed for in-person visits, the telehealth model allowed staff to continue to treat most of their patients virtually, while also adapting to changes in public health guidance.
It’s community health centers such as this one that board president Gloria Mercado-Fortine said filled a niche that’s been sorely needed to keep the Santa Clarita community healthy.
“Community health centers like Samuel Dixon really add to and strengthen our neighborhoods and our communities,” Mercado-Fortine said, adding that the center serves both the underinsured and uninsured.
It’s due to the increased needs of patients that the expansion of the 20-year Canyon Country center location was necessary, specifically to meet the increasing need for behavioral health services, according to CEO Philip Solomon.
“The fact that people who may have no other place to turn can come here and receive quality, wonderful care that they all deserve, whether it’s mental health or physical health, and that’s something that Samuel Dixon gives (its patients),” Santa Clarita Councilwoman Marsha McLean added.
The expansion project included an increase in the number of exam rooms from three to five, a behavioral health office for a full-time mental health specialist, a larger waiting room for patients and a larger workspace for the back office medical assistants and providers for improved triage of patient needs, according to center officials.
“I’m very pleased that we had this opportunity to expand and remodel our Canyon Country Health Center to meet the growing needs of our community, particularly with the challenges we faced during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Solomon added. “But in the end, it was all worth it. Today, our Canyon Country location nearly doubled in size. … This is now our third mental health location, adding to our Newhall site and our stand-alone mental health program in Valencia. We are very thankful for all the community support we receive and look forward to providing quality care to anyone in need.”
The Samuel Dixon Family Canyon Country Health Center is located at 27225 Camp Plenty Road, Suite 4. For more information, call 661-424-1220 or visit sdfhc.org/cc.asp.
