A Brief History of the DPHCD

Irrigator Series Part 2 of 5 on Del Puerto Health Care District - Jul 25, 2024

(The original Patterson Irrigator article can be found here)

By Timothy Benefield, Sr. DPHCD Board Member, Zone 3

Welcome back! This is Part 2 in a series that is meant to acquaint the citizens of the Patterson area with the Del Puerto Health Care District (DPHCD).

Once again, let me introduce myself as the director for Zone 3 of the DPHCD. Two years ago, I was completely unaware of the concept of a special district and I was unfamiliar with the organization and services of the DPHCD. I was appointed to the board early in 2023 and have since learned much helpful information and history from the other current board members and the CEO of the District.

Our current CEO is Karin Freese and she has been overseeing the district since May of 2016. This year (2024) the board elected Anne Stokman (R.N.), the director of Zone 2 since 2008, as the board president. Our other board members include Becky Campo, director of Zone 5 since 2018, and Luis Avila, director of Zone 1 since 2018. It is the desire of the Board of Directors and the CEO that the local community would be familiar with this special district that was created to meet your healthcare needs.

The Boundaries of the DPHCD

A great place to start in learning about the DPHCD is understanding the boundaries of the district. The northern boundary is basically the Stanislaus County line. The boundary on the east is the San Joaquin River. The southern boundary is a little more complicated, but it runs roughly between Crows Landing and Newman. The final boundary on the west runs through the hills to the west side of Diablo Grande. This area of approximately 366 square miles is divided into five zones for equal representation. A map of the district can be found at the district website (www.dphealth.org).

The Origins of the DPHCD

The California Special Districts Association says, “Special districts originated with the common purpose to provide a service that other government entities, such as cities and counties, are not providing.” The Del Puerto Health Care District was established in 1946 with the express purpose of assessing and meeting the specialized health needs of the Patterson community. The DPHCD seeks to provide high-quality health care for all citizens within the district.

The Governance of the DPHCD

As a special district, the DPHCD is governed by a Board of Directors that is elected by the community. The district is currently divided into five zones, and each zone is represented on the board by an elected citizen who lives within that zone. (In certain circumstances, a director may be appointed to finish out the term of a vacant board position.) As an “independent” special district, the DPHCD is governed by the board separately from any other governmental body; however, the board is required to follow state regulations regarding the conduct of officially elected representative bodies (e.g. public meetings and following the Brown Act). While the elected board sets the direction of the district, the DPHCD is managed in its day-to-day operations by a CEO and a supervisory staff.

The Practical Purpose of the DPHCD

The Board of Directors and the staff work together to identify the specific health needs of the community and then meet those needs on a daily basis. The district will occasionally conduct a Community Health Assessment and Needs Survey (most recently in 2021) in order to craft a comprehensive Master Plan to meet the healthcare needs of Patterson. The DPHCD oversees healthcare services as provided by the Del Puerto Health Center located on Keystone Pacific Parkway and, also, by Patterson District Ambulance. The district also seeks to build partnerships with key healthcare entities that can help provide the strongest possible healthcare scenario for residents within the district.

The Funding of DPHCD

An independent special district is different from a local business or corporation in that it is governed by locally-elected representatives and that it is at least partially funded by local taxpayers. The Del Puerto Health Care District receives a majority of its funding through services it provides. Both the Del Puerto Health Center and Patterson District Ambulance receive revenue through Medi-Cal, Medicare, private insurance, and cash payments as it provides services to local residents. However, the district also receives about 25% of its yearly funding through local property tax.

The fact that the DPHCD is governed by locally-elected officials and partially funded by local property taxes means that the district is owned by the community. The district is accountable to you. You can be involved and you can make a difference! Stay tuned for the next article in this series as I seek to demonstrate how this can be done.