AltaMed Health Services Corporation Expands Access to Medical Care through Acquisition of Community Health Alliance of Pasadena

November 01, 2023

The acquisition includes eight health centers and will continue to provide health care access to nearly 18,000 patients in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley

LOS ANGELES - November 1, 2023 - To expand access to affordable comprehensive health services, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, one of the nation’s largest federally qualified community health centers, which operates 57 sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties, has acquired the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (known as ChapCare), a federally qualified health center serving patients in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.

AltaMed will acquire eight ChapCare clinics that serve approximately 18,000 patients. Operating under the name “ChapCare by AltaMed,” AltaMed will ensure uninterrupted comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services, and include an expansion of pediatric services and access to locations across Los Angeles and Orange counties for ChapCare patients.

“As the demand for affordable health services continues to grow in Los Angeles, AltaMed is proud to continue to serve people in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley,” says AltaMed President and CEO Cástulo de la Rocha. “For more

than 50 years, AltaMed has filled a gap in the need for community health services and is diligently focused on addressing a critical health workforce shortage that is affecting Southern California.”

Through the acquisition, ChapCare patients will gain access to services at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), a nationally ranked top 10 pediatric specialty facility, which includes its co-staffed AltaMed urgent care locations and the CHLA Medical Group. For more than 20 years, AltaMed’s partnership with CHLA has resulted in hundreds of thousands of children receiving an exceptionally high level of care.

“We’re proud to partner with a non-profit with an aligned mission to continue to provide high quality health services for our patients,” said ChapCare CEO Deyner Zapata. “This consolidation will ensure that many people who reside in the San Gabriel region will have access to care for decades to come.”

To address the shortage of culturally-competent health care workers, AltaMed recently partnered with the University of La Verne to establish the College of Health and Community Well-Being. The college, which is expected to open fall 2025, will train nurses, physician assistants, medical assistants, data analysts, certified nursing assistants, psychologists, social workers, and health administrators. The college will offer student rotations in AltaMed clinics and aims to improve the number of graduates who will join the workforce in Southern California.

AltaMed provides access to pediatrics, primary care, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), behavioral health, HIV/AIDS care, and pharmacy services for more than 500,000 patients in Los Angeles and Orange counties, regardless of their ability to pay.

To learn more about AltaMed Health Services Corporation, visit: www.AltaMed.org.

###

About AltaMed Health Services Corporation

AltaMed understands that when people receive care that considers their individual health needs and respects their cultural preferences; they grow healthy—and help their families do the same. Since 1969, we have delivered complete medical services to communities across Southern California. Our team of qualified multicultural and bilingual professionals—from these same communities—are focused on eliminating barriers to primary care services, senior care programs, and essential community services. With more than 50 accredited health centers and service facilities, we remain committed and ready to help you grow healthy at any age. To learn more about AltaMed, visit: www.AltaMed.org.

About ChapCare 

ChapCare is a 501(c3) organization founded in 1995 by a group of community residents, city officials, and health care agencies to establish primary healthcare services for low-income, uninsured residents in Pasadena. ChapCare began providing medical services in 1998 and dental services in 2001. Since 2013, ChapCare has been recognized as a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), providing family and pediatric care, dental, behavioral services, optometry, podiatry and much more. ChapCare provides with comprehensive primary healthcare services, including medical, dental, and behavioral health services to more than 16,000 patients per year. The Pasadena-based nonprofit also offers free healthcare insurance enrollment assistance through its Cover California Navigator Program. Their certified enrollment counselors assist community members to enroll in health insurance plans available under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ChapCare plays an integral part in making healthcare services accessible to low-income community members. ChapCare has been awarded a quality leader health center that is now a national model that has successfully demonstrated how a public-private municipal partnership can help transform the healthcare landscape of local communities. ChapCare has HRSA Health Center program seal of approval as a COVID-19 trusted resource for the community and data reporter. ChapCare has clinics in Pasadena, El Monte/South El Monte and Monrovia, serving the greater San Gabriel community.