With their days numbered, many local health services are paying the price for San Luis Obispo County’s $38 million revenue deficit, triggering a Beilenson Hearing as a result.
Required by the California Health and Safety Code, the Beilenson Hearing—stemming from the act of the same name—is a public hearing focused on the closure, elimination, or reduction of medical services provided by the leasing, selling, or transfer of management of a county facility.
SLO County’s Beilenson Hearing took place at the June 3 Board of Supervisors meeting prior to its June 9 session where supervisors will deliberate adopting the proposed county budget.
“I recently heard that you may be voting on terminating the family planning clinic in Paso Robles,” county resident Maria Junco wrote to supervisors. “These sorts of public health programs are essential for keeping our less advantaged population healthy. In addition, cutting these programs is shortsighted, as preventive health is cheaper than emergency room solutions.”
According to the Beilenson Hearing notice, the closure of the reproductive health clinic in Paso Robles would impact 1,335 patients. Along with family planning services, the clinic offers breast and cervical cancer screenings, and diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. The county expects to save almost $475,000 once it shutters.
SLO County Health Agency Director Nick Drews told supervisors that Community Health Centers (CHC) of the Central Coast confirmed it could provide all the clinic’s services, including staff who speak Spanish and Mixteco.
He added that it’s possible CHC could take over the lease and the Paso Robles facility, too. CHC, however, doesn’t accept the Family PACT insurance yet, which provides free family planning services to low-income people. Patients under that program will have to travel to CHC’s women’s health clinic in Templeton.
“There were 900 appointments that use that insurance type, and we’ve mentioned that to CHC as well, so they’re aware,” Drews said.
According to the hearing notice, the county would gain the most savings—more than $1.3 million in general funds—by eliminating the mental health evaluation team. Currently, the team conducts 2,221 calls per year and responds throughout the county.
“[Eighty-five percent] of the calls are hospital-based calls, which are restricted in federal law and/or because these facilities and settings are already required to provide other crisis services,” the notice said.
Second District Supervisor Bruce Gibson said he hopes other services on the chopping block receive similar levels of attention and detail in the search to find alternative hosts.
Other health services taking a hit are a slew of drug and alcohol services clinics; youth and adult mental health treatment services; the communicable disease and immunization clinic in Grover Beach; the countywide Home Visiting Program/Maternal Child and Adolescent Health; the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program; public health laboratory; and medically indigent services.
Even though the Grover Beach immunization clinic could be closed, Drews recommended visiting the facility at 2191 Johnson Ave. in SLO for vaccines. While CVS, Vons, and primary care physicians also provide vaccines, he said, the county facility offers specific vaccines required for events like remote travel.
Martha’s Place is included in the hearing notice for closure, too, but Drews told supervisors it’ll be funded through one-time funds for the upcoming year. The Health Agency will present supervisors with a new funding plan for Martha’s Place next year.
Fourth District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding stressed that it’s essential to have a plan in place for the proposed closure of the WIC programs in Paso Robles, Morro Bay, Cambria, and Nipomo. Together, the closure would affect 2,710 families and save the county $98,270.
Soon, these families will need to travel to the remaining WIC clinics in Atascadero, SLO, and Grover Beach, while experiencing higher wait times. County Public Health Director Penny Borenstein told Paulding that the four clinics were recommended for closure because they have part-time service and fewer clients.
“WIC is a tricky one,” she said. “We have a fair bit of telehealth for our WIC clients. They have to come in for certain things, obviously for breastfeeding support, for nutrition checks. But we should be able to touch every life served by our WIC services now.”
Considering service impacts, the Health Agency created a 24-hour special information line to receive and respond to complaints from people using these health resources. Voice complaints and comments at (805) 788-2399. Δ
This article appears in Pride 2025.