Proposed De Anza College Health Clinic Would Serve Cupertino

CUPERTINO, CA — The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors are supporting a proposal by Supervisor Joe Simitian to bring a Valley Health Center clinic to the De Anza Community College campus in Cupertino.

The clinic would not only serve students at the community college, but residents of the West Valley. Currently, there are no county or community clinics in Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga, according to a news release from Simitian’s office.

That means that the more than 83,000 area residents who receive Medi-Cal or other public benefits need to travel to Valley Health Center Sunnyvale, which is at capacity. Valley Health Center sees 6,000 patients yearly, and patients must wait an average of 34 days to see a doctor, according to the news release.

“It’s essential that all our residents have access to primary and preventative health care. Otherwise, theSimitian represents the coy wait too long, end up seriously ill, and then find themselves in the emergency room,” Simitian, who serves as chair of the County’s Health and Hospital Committee, said in a statement. “Having conveniently located, preventative health care takes some of the stress and worry out of visiting a doctor. It allows people to focus on their health, family, work, and school. Healthier people can go to work or school and contribute to the community, instead of being unnecessarily sidelined by illness.”

unty’s Fifth District, which is the only district in the county without a primary care county health clinic. The De Anza College campus would be a convenient spot for a county health clinic because it is close to Highway 85, Interstate 280, and is well-served by public transportation. It is also located close to proposed affordable housing for seniors, and the Cupertino Senior Center.

De Anza College is beginning a multiyear redesign of its campus, and a full-service clinic of up to 30,000 feet could be incorporated. The location on a college campus would also allow health sciences students to gain clinical experience on-site.

Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees President Patrick Ahrens told the Board in a letter that he supports the proposal, and Simitian said Ahrens gave him the idea to put a clinic at De Anza.

County administration has also explored options for building a primary clinic in the northern part of the county.