District Information
The Mendocino Coast Health Care District (the “District”), with a primary service area that stretches from Westport, Ca. to Elk, CA., was formed on January 1, 1967 by a vote of the residents of the district. The authorizing California statutes for establishing a health care district are found in the California Health and Safety Code, Division 23, Sections 32000 through 32499.5, known as "The Local Health Care District Law". The District is a public entity responsible for community health access, asset stewardship, and hospital facility oversight.
The District Board constructed a Critical Access, Acute Care Hospital with 25 acute care beds, dedicated on June 26, 1971 in Fort Bragg, Ca. The original facility is still in operation today, and located at 700 River Drive, Fort Bragg, Ca.
Assembly Bill 3178 (1994) amended California’s Local Hospital District Law by renaming all “hospital districts” to “health care districts” and significantly expanding their authority. The law broadened districts’ roles beyond operating hospitals, allowing them to provide a full range of health services, support clinics and preventive care, fund physician recruitment, and enter into partnerships or leases without directly running a hospital. It reflected a shift toward treating districts as community health stewards—while leaving their boundaries, elected boards, and public agency status unchanged. The district was renamed from the Mendocino Coast Hospital District to the Mendocino Coast Health Care District.
In 2020 the District Board (with district voter approval), leased the Mendocino Coast hospital facility and medical operations to the district's tenant Adventist Health, who now operates the Mendocino Coast Hospital under a Lease Agreement through June 30, 2050.
The District Board's primary responsiblity now is as the landlord to the hospital facility for financing and oversight of the ongoing proper maintanenance of the Mendocino Coast Hospital Property, Plant and Equipment, and ensuring that the Hospital Facility is licensed to operate by the State of California, Department of Healthcare Access and information (https://hcai.ca.gov/).
Board Mission Statement
The Mendocino Coast Health Care District provides a hospital (facility) and fosters leaderhship, advocacy and collaboration for our community health and well-being.
Board Priorities
- Develop and expand community partnerships and communication
- Plan wisely for the future while maintaining fiscal integrity
- Maintain and improve the physical plant
- Ensure medical services continue to be available to the community
