Del Puerto Pathway to Health
October 2026 Update
Del Puerto Pathway to Health / Paseo de Del Puerto hacia la Salud
October 2026 – CEO’s Message: Patterson Spoke Up, and We're Not Done
On September 28, Governor Newsom vetoed AB 2282. We are disappointed by this decision because the need behind this legislation has not changed. Patterson families still have no emergency room close to home. When an emergency strikes, the nearest hospital is still 25 to 30 minutes away.
For those of us who live and work on the west side, that distance is more than a number. It is the anxious drive when someone we love needs help. It is the uncertainty of waiting for answers and wondering how quickly care will be available. Our first responders and healthcare providers understand these concerns, and so do the families who have experienced them.
AB 2282 was an effort to address that gap by creating a pathway for local emergency stabilization care. Although the bill will not move forward this year, the conversation it brought to Sacramento matters. Patterson’s need for timely emergency care deserves continued attention, and we intend to keep it in front of those who can help us find a solution.
What I will remember most about this campaign is how our community showed up. Residents took the time to write to the Governor and explain what access to emergency care would mean to their families. Local leaders, first responders, educators, healthcare providers, and business owners stood together. People with different backgrounds and political views found common ground in a shared concern for the health and safety of our community.
A bill written for one small west side city earned strong bipartisan support in Sacramento, including a unanimous 77–0 final vote in the Assembly. That support reflects the work of our legislative partners and the strength of the case our community made. Patterson spoke clearly, and people listened.
I know many of you shared our hope that this bill would become law. Thank you for investing your time, lending your voice, and standing with us. Your participation helped make the need visible far beyond Patterson. That work gives us a stronger foundation for the conversations ahead.
Our commitment does not end with this veto. Del Puerto Health Care District will continue working with our legislative partners, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to identify a practical path forward for emergency care on the west side. We will consider the concerns raised in the veto and keep working toward care that meets our community’s needs and protects patient safety.
There is more work ahead, and we will keep you informed as that work develops. Our responsibility is to continue asking, planning, and advocating for the healthcare our growing community needs.
Patterson spoke up. We are grateful, we are listening, and we are not done.
— Dr. Karin Freese, CEO of the Del Puerto Health Care District
AB 2282 Update: Community Rallies for Local Emergency Care
On September 9, Assemblymember Juan Alanis joined Del Puerto Health Care District leaders, Patterson District Ambulance staff, and city officials at the future site of the DPHCD health care campus. Together they urged Governor Newsom to sign AB 2282. Speakers included Dr. Jose Rodriguez, Medical Director of the Del Puerto Health Center, and Board Member Reyna Gomez. They made the case that Patterson's growing population can't afford to wait for emergency care.
AB 2282 would have allowed a publicly owned hospital, in partnership with Del Puerto Health Care District, to operate a Rural Emergency Stabilization Care Unit (RESCU) in Patterson. It would have served as a bridge to bring emergency stabilization care close to home while a permanent hospital is planned and built.
Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed the bill on September 28. In his veto message, he said he shares the goal of expanding emergency care access in rural communities. So do we, which is why this isn't the end of the effort to bring emergency care closer to home.
We'll be working with our partners and state leaders on next steps, and we'll share updates as that work takes shape. Community members who want to stay involved are encouraged to reach out to us at engage@dphealth.org.
Remember to Vote: DPHCD Board of Directors Election on November 3
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Seats on the Del Puerto Health Care District Board of Directors are on the ballot this year. Board members help guide healthcare services, ambulance operations, community partnerships, and the development of our healthcare campus. This is your chance to have a say in the future of healthcare on the West Side.
All registered voters in California receive a ballot by mail, which you can return by mail, at a drop box, or in person. The deadline to register is October 19, and you can still register and vote in person after that date through Election Day. To check your registration, find your zone, or see who's on your ballot, visit StanVote.gov.
DPHCD In the News
AB 2282 and the West Side’s need for additional health care services drew regional attention this month:
- Westside Connect covered the Patterson press conference. Read the article here.
- The Modesto Bee highlighted the need for additional health care services provided in AB 2282. Read the article here.
- CBS Sacramento reported on Patterson's push for local emergency care. Watch here.
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