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Our mission is to expend financial resources to help residents of the District satisfy their healthcare needs.

The Health, Education and Social Services Committee (Committee) of the 2009-2010 Kern

County Grand Jury inquired into the operation and management of the East Kern Health Care

District (District) pursuant to Penal Code §933.5.

The Committee visited the District offices in California City on April 19, 2010, and met with the

District Administrator (Administrator) and three of the five members of the East Kern Health

Board (Board). The Committee inquired into the District’s operations, long and short term plans

and ongoing financial and logistical obstacles.

California City is located in the high desert northeast of Mojave; the population is approximately

15,000 full-time residents and encompasses an area of 204 square miles. The District serves an

area in excess of 600 square miles in Kern County with a small portion overlapping into San

Bernardino County.

The District was first formed in 1978 and operated a Health Care Clinic. A reduction in revenues

as a result of Proposition 13 and large numbers of uninsured/underinsured patients forced closure

of the clinic in 1980. At the time a District owned building was subsidized rent free to a local

physician to establish a private practice. The building is currently rented as a licensed rural clinic

continuing to provide services to the community.

The District is in the process of purchasing a ten acre site adjacent to the existing property from

the California City Redevelopment Agency and has future plans to build a long-term care facility

and a 24/7 walk-in clinic.

1. The Administrator works part time and is paid $1,500 per month. The elected Board

members each receive a monthly stipend of $100 for duties which include attending one

Board meeting per month.

2. The District’s main source of income is from local property taxes. A grant writer on the

staff of California City is able to provide grant writing services to the District. The

District is audited biannually and is presently debt free.

3. There are currently three resident doctors in town working at the clinic in addition to a

physical therapy center. The District has a radiology facility.

4. The District currently owns and leases three buildings of occupied medical offices. The

District borrowed to construct and/or convert the buildings but is now completely debt

free.

5. The District is able to provide many health-related services to the community including

full and part time clinics in several communities, the Meals on Wheels for seniors and an

annual health fair.

6. An Annual Cancer Walk is held to raise funds for a senior center, mammograms, nursing

school scholarships, mobile services and special requests.

7. California City has a fire department with paramedics on staff and additional paramedics

available from the local Hall Ambulance facility.

8. Holiday weekends bring a population increase between 10,000 and 20,000 people into the

area primarily for off-road vehicle riding activities. Additional police and medical

services are required and paid for in part by an annual California City special fee charged

each participating vehicle.

The District is to be commended for being able to provide many health-related services to the

community with limited funds while remaining debt free. The operation is well run by

organized, dedicated individuals. The District has a rational near and long term planning process

in place.

The East Kern Health Care District should post a copy of this report where it will be available for

public review.

Note: Present and past Kern County Grand Jury Final Reports and Responses can be accessed

through the Kern County Law Library and on the Kern County Grand Jury website:

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