LOS ANGELES – Venice Family Clinic CEO Dr. Mitesh Popat, who oversees the nonprofit community health center serving 45,000 people in need across the Westside of Los Angeles, Inglewood, the South Bay and everywhere in between, issued the following statement in response to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ vote to place the Essential Services Restoration Act for L.A. County initiative on the June primary ballot.
If approved by voters, the initiative would fund health care services, including emergency and behavioral care, for people in need without insurance coverage by establishing a half-cent sales tax through October 2031:
“We applaud the L.A. County Board of Supervisors for voting to put our community’s health first.
“Federal and state funding cuts threaten care for patients in need across L.A. County and beyond – including working families, seniors and children – and this measure protects the essential safety net that keeps our communities strong.
“Investing in community health centers keeps people healthy, families stable and communities functioning. We thank the Board of Supervisors for voting ‘yes’ on life-saving care for all, and we urge voters to do the same to support the health, dignity and well-being of our community in the June election.”
About Venice Family Clinic
Venice Family Clinic is a nonprofit community health center that is a leader in providing comprehensive, high-quality health care to more than 45,000 people in need annually, regardless of their ability to pay or personal circumstance. The Clinic serves an area that spans the Westside of Los Angeles, Inglewood, the South Bay and everywhere in between. It has a network of clinic locations and Early Head Start centers in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Culver City, Redondo Beach, Carson, Gardena, Torrance and Hawthorne, plus mobile clinics and an expansive street medicine program to reach people experiencing homelessness. The Clinic’s comprehensive care also includes mental health services, dental care, vision services, substance use treatment, prescription medications, domestic violence counseling, HIV services, healthy food distributions, health education, health insurance enrollment, child development services and more. For more information, please visit VeniceFamilyClinic.org and follow on Facebook, X and Instagram.