Thank you for your warm welcome over these past few weeks. I so appreciate the great work happening here at Contra Costa Health, and have enjoyed meeting many of you.

I’m committed to transparency and communication. To that end, I am sharing updated projections on how changes in federal law, specifically HR-1, as well as state policy changes, are projected to affect our department and community. By 2029, it is estimated that nearly 100,000 Medi-Cal members in Contra Costa County will lose health coverage, resulting in more than $360 million in cumulative revenue loss.

These challenges are real. Yet I am encouraged by what I see as I visit workplaces and spend time with staff across CCH. Your commitment, resilience and focus on excellent care are inspiring, and position us to respond well to whatever comes next.

Public support is also growing. Elected leaders recently toured Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and expressed strong support for our essential mission. That support will be vital as we navigate the road ahead.

Alongside funding threats, shifting federal vaccine policies are adding confusion at a critical time of year. I want to be clear: At CCH, we remain committed to science- and evidence-based practices, and will champion vaccine policy that follows the data.

We continue to align with California Department of Public Health guidance. Protecting the health of our patients, staff and community will always be a guiding priority.

Our shared goal is to provide the care and services our community depends on. Over the next few months, Contra Costa Health will be working with community stakeholders, providers, and other county departments to set priorities and navigate the changing federal landscape.

To help us connect, I will be visiting facilities and holding in-person town halls across our system in coming weeks. These gatherings are opportunities to hear more, ask questions, and share ideas. Dates and times will be shared soon – hope to see you there.

Thank you for all you do every day. I look forward to connecting and moving forward together.

With gratitude,

Grant Colfax, MD
Chief Executive Officer
Health Director, Contra Costa County

Contra Costa Health recently joined the City of Antioch to celebrate the grand re-opening of the Executive Inn.

Jenny Robbins, our Homeless Services Chief, spoke on behalf of CCH, highlighting H3’s work supporting Antioch through the Encampment Resolution Grant, which helps fund this important project.

The former hotel has been transformed into Opportunity Village, providing housing and on-site services for unsheltered neighbors in East County.

The Antioch CORE team has already made great progress, helping 36 people and 19 dogs move into Opportunity Village. With the Sunset Drive and DevPar Court encampment now closed, CORE is continuing to check in with people who haven’t moved in yet, making sure they stay connected to services. Everyone who moves into Opportunity Village will also be paired with a housing case manager to help them find permanent housing options.

This project shows what’s possible when we work together with compassion, collaboration and innovation to address homelessness in our county.

Debbie Sanchez Amador

Sarah Johnston

Congratulations to this year’s Ruth Pease Award winners: Debbie Sanchez Amador, a care coordinator at the Miller Wellness Center, and Sarah Johnston, an LVN at Pittsburg Health Center.

A nominator wrote this about Debbie: “You know how there’s always that one person everyone goes to, who knows what to do? She’s that person. She supports us at Miller Wellness and that in turn helps us support our patients. She has never said, ‘That’s not my job.’ She will always do whatever she can to help a colleague or a patient.”

A provider who works with Sarah wrote that she “always shows up early to prepare for clinics, independently calls patients based on their needs, sets up for clinics after reviewing charts and patient needs, has excellent clinical sense when someone needs additional assistance, and even follows up the next day if needed. Sarah knows my patients and their stories well, providing excellent continuity for my panel when my clinic has been covered by another physician, or when she sees them in a specialty clinic.”

The annual award is given by medical staff to a non-physician who exemplifies the dedication of Ruth Pease, a longtime county nurse.

Debbie and Sarah will be honored at the Medical Staff Picnic at the end of September.

Meet our new CEO, Dr. Grant Colfax! We asked him three quick questions so you can get to know him and his vision for Contra Costa Health.

I would like to thank the Board of Supervisors for entrusting me to serve as the next Chief Executive Officer of Contra Costa Health. I look forward to working with you.

My work is guided by a commitment to health equity, evidence-based care, and partnering with the communities we serve. This includes a background in public health, clinical medicine, policy and research. Most recently I served as Director of Health in San Francisco.

This is an important time for Contra Costa Health. While challenges lie ahead, I am confident we will continue to provide dignified, high-quality care and services for all Contra Costa residents, particularly the most vulnerable.

I thank Dr. Ori Tzvieli, the executive team, and all of you for your tireless work on behalf of our patients, clients and community. I am excited to listen, learn and work alongside you as we advance the mission of Contra Costa Health.

With gratitude and anticipation,

Grant Colfax, MD
Chief Executive Officer
Health Director, Contra Costa County

I want to take a moment to share my gratitude for the opportunity to serve as interim CEO of Contra Costa Health for the past six months. It has been an honor to work alongside such a dedicated and compassionate team.

As you may have heard, the Board of Supervisors has appointed Dr. Grant Colfax as our new Health Director. Dr. Colfax brings a wealth of public health leadership experience, and I look forward to working with him as we continue our mission to provide safe, accessible, and high-quality care and services for all who live in Contra Costa County.

I will continue to serve as your county Health Officer and I intend to remain actively engaged in the work we are doing together, from advancing health equity to improving how we operate as a department. Our priorities and our commitment to the community remain unchanged.

Thank you for everything you do every day for the people who we serve. I am proud of the progress we have made together, and I am excited about the work still ahead.

With Deep Gratitude,

Ori Tzvieli, MD

Contra Costa County Health Officer
CEO and Health Director (Interim)
Contra Costa Health

We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Grant Colfax as the new Director of Contra Costa Health, effective Aug. 19. Dr. Colfax brings decades of experience in public health leadership and a deep commitment to equity, innovation and community-centered care.

We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Ori Tzvieli for his steady leadership as interim director. He will continue serving as our County Health Officer.

Read the announcement: contracosta.ca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=4993

National Health Center Week (Aug. 3-9) is a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible impact that clinics, both our own at CCH and those of our community partners, have every day in our community.

Our ambulatory care clinics form the cornerstone of our county’s health safety net. Every weekday we serve nearly 1,900 patients, providing everything from primary care and obstetrics to dental services and chronic disease management, with many medical and surgical specialties. Our numbers speak volumes about the trust placed in us and the essential role we fill in Contra Costa County.

Health centers are the anchor points that tie us to the community. They do more than offer high-quality care. They signal that safe, accessible, culturally responsive healthcare and services are available in neighborhoods where they are needed most. Our care also reaches far from a traditional doctor’s office – such as our school-based, shelter-based and mobile clinics.

That accessibility is more crucial than ever. Our physical footprint translates directly into health equity, ensuring that Medi-Cal and CCHP members, uninsured people, and marginalized populations receive care without barriers.

We are also proud of how many of our Health Centers have earned “Committed to Care Excellence” recognition from the national organization, Age-Friendly Health Systems: Antioch, Bay Point, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg and West County. It’s just one example of how we combine evidence-based practices with patient-centered compassion.

To everyone who makes it happen, from front-desk staff to providers, care coordinators, nurses, social workers, support staff and administrators – thank you. It's your dedication that turns appointments into meaningful connections, screenings into long-term relationships, and care into a statement that everyone counts.

As National Health Center Week unfolds, I hope you feel a real sense of pride in what we accomplish together.

With deep appreciation,

Ori Tzvieli, MD

Contra Costa County Health Officer
CEO and Health Director (Interim)
Contra Costa Health