History

Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas (CSVS) was founded in 1980; by a group of local community members to ensure that basic health care was available to all residents of Monterey County, with a focus on families working in the agriculture industry. In 1989; CSVS became the first ”federally qualified” health center in Monterey County, enabling it to provide health care services to an even larger number of people ensuring access to patients who could not afford to pay for services. Since 2001; , CSVS has earned the highly respected Joint Commission Accreditation Healthcare OrganizationTJC?)’s Gold Seal of Approval, on an annual basis. For the past 39-years, the award-winning CSVS has responded to the needs of its diverse community by expanding quality care, integrity, professionalism, mutual respect, innovation, and accountability to provide medical homes to patients regardless of their capacity to pay.

Deeply committed to the community it serves, CSVS has a history of implementing creative solutions to provide a continuum of outstanding quality health care to its patients. CSVS has responded to the needs of the communities it serves. by expanding services to open facilities that span from northern part (Pajaro) to the southern part (King City) of Monterey County.

In 1998; CSVS developed the first school-based clinic with a medical provider on site. In 2004; CSVS also created the first mobile medical and dental van for the homeless community in Monterey County. By early 2019; CSVS had established a system of twelve clinics located in small communities as well as the greater Salinas area, greatly reducing travel time for their patients. Each of the clinics provides comprehensive primary care services to families working in the agriculture industry, including dentistry, primary care, and specialty services.

In Monterey County’s 3,324 square miles, approximately 85% of its population now lives within fifteen minutes of a CSVS site. In 2018; CSVS clinics served over 50,000 patients with over 195,000 visits. Over 10,200 newborns have been delivered since 1986.

CSVS' award-winning outreach program has gained widespread recognition and support from our community partners, for our efforts to improve the quality of life for farm worker families in Monterey County. CSVS is a major provider of quality primary health care services in Monterey County for agricultural workers and their families and serves as a critical source of care for low-income and uninsured community members. CSVS is governed by a Community Majority Board of Directors and since it's inception, ensures that it's sliding fee policy allows patient to access care regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. CSVS has excellent clinical outcomes with vaccination rates for children in keeping with national standards, neonatal morbidity and mortality lower than average, and almost non-existent maternal morbidity and mortality rates. CSVS has an expert staff that lives and works in the communities that clinics are in, ensuring care that is culturally proficient and accessible to the diverse communities of Monterey County.