Research has shown that when mothers are healthy and happy, children are healthier and happier.
Social situations, finances, housing, and health directly affect parents and moms, and when a mom’s not healthy, and not well, that’s when children feel it, according to Andrea Gekas, a women’s health practitioner and certified nurse midwife at the Western Sierra Medical Clinic in Grass Valley.
Gekas is also the director of Women’s Health Services. “She is a true champion of this clinic and of healthcare for women,” Jennifer Malone, Chief Executive Officer said at the ribbon cutting event and tour of the new clinic held Wednesday.
Western Sierra Medical Clinic‘s new Women’s Health Center is located at 150 Glasson Way in Grass Valley, just across the street from Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital.
The previous location at 844 Old Tunnel Road just wasn’t large enough, according to Malone.
“Being able to empower women to look at their health as a priority and a foundation to the health for themselves, their family, their children for the rest of their lives, is such a huge honor to me,” Gekas said. “This clinic was a big dream of mine for years.”
Through several local partnerships, Western Sierra, a community nonprofit, continues to provide residents throughout the region with excellent care, regardless of their income or insurance coverage.
Patients may access urgent care, obstetrics, gynecology, midwifery, cardiology, dentistry, and newborn care at this new site, even if they are without health insurance of any kind, according to Gekas.
“It is very important to know that women do not need insurance to get started,” Gekas said.
The team at Western Sierra treats the whole patient, including therapy, mental health and access to social services, chiropractic services for pregnant women, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) which can be used to treat women with substance use disorders during pregnancy, according to Faye Jensen MD, obstetrician and gynecologist.
The community has asked for midwives, and Western Sierra has responded to that, according to Dr. Jensen.
“We have two midwives; we have a nurse practitioner; we do it all,” Dr. Jensen said.
The women’s clinic is a safe place for women to receive medical treatment, and the support they need.
“It is an honor to give women the opportunity to focus on themselves from adolescence into late adulthood,” Gekas said. “To have a safe environment where women can come and talk about any feeling from physical health to mental health, be vulnerable in a place where they have the right to have those conversations, and have providers that feel that it’s actually imperative that women’s health is the cornerstone of healthcare and our community.”
This new location is a 4,000 square foot building, purchased in 2019, and it was funded partially through the American Rescue Plan Act, but the remodel was put on hold due to COVID.
“We chose a local contractor, Streamlined Construction. They’re professionals in making a space that is comfortable and designed in compliance. They did an amazing job,” Jennifer Malone, Chief Executive Officer said.
The memory of former Chairman of the Board for Western Sierra, Larry Allen was honored during the ribbon cutting with the dedication of a bench at the new location.
Larry Allen was also the District Attorney for Sierra County for many years, according to Scott Browne, Chairman of the Board of Western Sierra.
“I wish you could have met Larry,” Browne said. “just an incredibly intelligent, compassionate person who helped lead our organization to the success you’re seeing today.”
Sean Jackson, current president of the Rotary Club in Grass Valley presented the memorial bench and stated that Rotary forms partnerships within the community between people to create change.
“People intertwine with individuals who otherwise would never have met,” Jackson said. “Larry, he was a key part in Rotary’s vision, an individual uniting with others to take action to create lasting change. So this bench will serve as a reminder to all that Larry cared for our community and sought to improve it one step at a time.”
Partners and sponsors recognized at the ribbon cutting included Sierra Family Community Health Center, Health Alliance of Northern California, California Primary Care Association, the County of Nevada. Assemblywoman Megan Dahle’s office, Congressman Kevin Kiley’s office, and Chapa-De Indian Health.
The event was organized by the Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce.
