News & Updates

Dear Colleagues:

As we enter the final months of 2025, here are some updates about Contra Costa Health’s direction and how we are preparing for the challenges ahead.

Significant federal and state funding reductions are on the horizon. Programs that fund care for patients with low income are scheduled for cuts, including the Disproportional Share Hospital (DSH) and Global Payment Program (GPP). Meanwhile temporary federal funding increases from the pandemic period are being phased out.

These changes will affect how we are reimbursed for care and how we sustain critical services. Our finance and operations teams are taking a close look at how we can operate more efficiently and strengthen our financial position. We are approaching this work thoughtfully – with data, teamwork and transparency guiding every decision.

At the same time, we’re modernizing systems, building leadership capacity, and focusing on the services that matter most to our mission and our community. Our goal is to protect patient care and minimize impacts on staff as we navigate these changes together.

Lending Support During the Federal Shutdown

To support county residents affected by CalFresh delays, CCH is partnering with the Employment & Humans Services Department and the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano to distribute food at EHSD offices and our clinics in Brentwood, North Richmond, West County and Martinez.

My thanks to all involved in making this happen so quickly.

Welcoming New Leaders

We are continuing to build the team that will help lead CCH into the next phase of its work:

Harmandeep Madra, MSN, FACHE – Chief Nursing Officer, CCRMC
Harmandeep joins us on November 17 from Kaiser Santa Clara, where he directed Emergency and Urgent Care Services for more than 85,000 patients annually.

Rick Ortiz – Chief of Plant Operations, CCMRC
Rick brings extensive hospital engineering experience from Crothall Healthcare in Casper, Wyo., Virginia Mason in Seattle and Mercy Hospital in Cincinnati.

Jenny Robbins – Director, Community Response Division
Jenny leads our new division coordinating field-based teams and improving collaboration across programs that serve people in crisis or without stable housing.

Our search for a permanent Finance Director and Health Plan Director will continue into the first quarter of 2026. These are key roles for our future, and I encourage you to share our job postings with your professional networks.

Listening and Staying Connected

Over the past several weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to visit with staff in Information Technology, Equity, and Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and I look forward to continuing these visits throughout the winter.

I also hope you’ll join me for our upcoming staff town halls to ask questions and share ideas:

• 3-4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13
• 8-9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2
• 12-1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10

Please submit questions in advance at together.cchealth.org.

Moving Forward Together

As we face a changing environment, I’m encouraged every day by the resilience and professionalism of this team. Your work in clinics, hospitals, offices, and in the field continues to improve lives and strengthen the health of our communities.

We have challenges ahead, but we also have clear purpose and extraordinary people. By staying connected, sharing ideas, and supporting one another, I’m confident we’ll continue to deliver the excellent care and compassion that define Contra Costa Health.

Thank you for all that you do.

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

We are monitoring the situation closely, in coordination with our county and state partners, including the California Department of Health Care Services and other agencies that administer federal funds supporting Medi-Cal, public health and social services.

If developments occur that could affect our programs, employees, or the services we provide, we will communicate any updates promptly.

We understand that the shutdown creates uncertainty, both for staff and for the communities we serve, and we appreciate your continued focus on serving the people of Contra Costa County with excellence and compassion.

Thank you for all that you do,

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

The Contra Costa Family Medicine Residency Program, one of the largest and oldest programs of its kind, is marking its 75th year of training future family physicians.

Read the full press release: cchealth.org/Home/Components/News/News/953/415

The Residency recently held a reunion celebration at the Contra Costa Country Club, which brought together more than 200 alumni from across the country and current residents.

Dear Colleagues:

I am very pleased to share that Nicole DeAraujo-Roman has joined Contra Costa Health as our new Director of Detention Health Services.

Nicole brings a wealth of experience in healthcare operations, strategic planning, and organizational transformation, and we are excited to welcome her leadership in overseeing the delivery of high-quality, accessible, and efficient health services within our detention settings. Her focus will be on strengthening care systems, improving operational workflows, and ensuring compliance with public health standards.

Nicole had a distinguished career at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she served in various executive roles. She is known for her collaborative leadership style, data-driven decision-making, and commitment to equity in healthcare.

Nicole holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and a BA in Psychology. Outside work, she enjoys exploring new places, cooking with her family, and cheering on her 6-year-old stepson at his baseball games with her husband, a firefighter.

Please join us in welcoming Nicole to her new role. We look forward to the vision, expertise, and energy she brings to Detention Health Services.

Thanks,

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

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.