SHAFTER, Calif. – Months after a public health clinic shut down in the city of Shafter, health officials say they are continuing to weigh options for health services in the community.
The clinic was operated by the Kern County Department of Public Health, which faced significant budget cuts this year after a vote by the county’s Board of Supervisors. The board approved cuts that amounted to just over $12 million and led to layoffs in addition to diminished services.
Some clinics – like Omni Health and Adventist Health – still offer services in the community, but a recent grand jury report highlighted the budget cuts to the public health department as concerning because they had “greatly weakened” the safety net provided by the county’s public health department…