Where:
Portola, Plumas County, California

Problem:
Eastern Plumas Health Care District (EPHCD) needed to expand its facilities to combat the behavioral health crisis in Plumas County.

Solution:
Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) provided a $2.8 million loan to keep the clinic’s expansion on schedule.

The national opioid epidemic of the past decade has often played out in rural areas like Plumas County. For years, Plumas County has led the state in the number of opioid-related deaths. According to the California Department of Public Health, in 2014 the county had more than 20 opioid-related deaths per 100,000 residents, compared to the state’s overall rate of 4.9. In 2015, the Plumas opioid death rate was 31.3 per 100,000. Along with the addiction crisis, Plumas has had difficulty coping with high instances of dementia, depression and anxiety.

EPHCD applied for and received Public Hospital Redesign & Incentives in Medi-Cal (PRIME) grant funds through the California Department of Health Care Services to expand health care in its service area. Specifically, it planned a $2.7 million addition to its campus and $600,000 to remodel its existing clinic.

EPHCD had to begin construction to secure all of the PRIME grant funds for the five-year project. With the grant money distributed in set installments, it was necessary to secure a short-term loan to keep the project funded and on schedule. RCAC’s Loan Fund issued a $2.8 million loan, which should carry the project through its third phase and on to completion.