Santa Clara Family Health Plan (SCFHP), a leading local not-for-profit health plan, has launched construction of the SCFHP South County Community Resource Center (SCCRC) in Gilroy, marking a major expansion of its public service infrastructure in southern Santa Clara County, California. The new SCCRC is slated to open in early 2026 and is designed to support health equity and local access to critical social services for over 20,000 SCFHP members currently residing in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Martin.
The construction kickoff was held on July 28 and brought together civic and health leaders including Gilroy Mayor Greg Bozzo, Morgan Hill Mayor Mark Turner, and representatives from Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas’ office. Also in attendance were members of the SCFHP South County Resident Advisory Group and McLarney Construction, the project’s lead contractor.
Why is SCFHP opening a new community center in South Santa Clara County?
The SCCRC project is a direct response to a persistent lack of locally available health and social services in the southern part of the county, which has historically required residents to travel north to San Jose for support. SCFHP began planning for the SCCRC more than three years ago, conducting extensive community engagement and needs assessments through its South County Resident Advisory Group. This planning process identified major service gaps in areas such as Medi-Cal enrollment, food access, housing referrals, and health education programming.
According to Christine M. Tomcala, Chief Executive Officer of Santa Clara Family Health Plan, “Starting construction on our newest Community Resource Center in Gilroy is a momentous occasion… Investing in South County will help further our goal of reducing health disparities in this area.” Tomcala emphasized that the new center represents both a long-term commitment and a response to community requests for tailored, neighborhood-based services.
The SCCRC will be located at 150 Leavesley Road in Gilroy and will operate as a comprehensive walk-in facility that combines eligibility services with education, referrals, and direct assistance.
Once open, the SCCRC at 150 Leavesley Road in Gilroy will provide a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet the needs of underserved residents. These will include one-on-one assistance with applications for Medi-Cal, Covered California, and CalFresh, helping eligible individuals and families access crucial health and nutrition programs. In addition, the center will offer personalized referrals to food pantries, affordable housing resources, and nearby healthcare providers. SCFHP also plans to deliver a range of wellness-oriented educational programming, such as cooking demonstrations, exercise classes, and preventative health workshops, all aimed at empowering community members to make informed lifestyle choices. Onsite SCFHP customer service representatives will be available to assist visitors with coverage questions, claims issues, and general plan support.
How does the SCCRC fit into SCFHP’s broader health equity strategy?
Founded in 1997, Santa Clara Family Health Plan has built a reputation as one of California’s most community-integrated managed care providers. The organization administers health coverage to over 290,000 county residents through Medi-Cal and the Cal MediConnect program, and also participates in Covered California offerings. Over the past decade, SCFHP has increased its focus on addressing social determinants of health, aligning with a broader state and federal trend toward whole-person care.
The SCCRC initiative reflects this evolving strategy, which combines medical benefit delivery with housing stability, food security, and preventative wellness programs. Health plans like SCFHP are increasingly investing in physical community hubs to act as bridges between government benefit programs and at-risk populations, particularly in geographies that lack sufficient local service infrastructure.
The upcoming Gilroy location will be SCFHP’s second full-service Community Resource Center following its main CRC in San Jose. Once operational, SCCRC will serve as both a drop-in center and a partner hub for local nonprofits and service providers, creating an ecosystem of care within South County itself.
What are local leaders saying about the South County Community Resource Center?
Elected officials across the region have praised the SCCRC as a tangible solution to South County’s long-standing access issues. Mayor Greg Bozzo of Gilroy emphasized the urgency: “I know there are needs in the Gilroy community not being met. I appreciate the support this South County Community Resource Center will bring to address them.”
Similarly, Morgan Hill Mayor Mark Turner called the center “a big win for South County” and stressed the importance of having affordable healthcare resources available locally. “We look forward to working with SCFHP as this center opens to advance the well-being of South County residents,” Turner said.
The project is also receiving support from Santa Clara County, which has prioritized health equity and regional parity in its recent strategic planning initiatives. Cristian Cornejo, speaking on behalf of Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, underscored the value of having South County representation through the Resident Advisory Group—a participatory body that helped define SCCRC’s services based on real community input.
What interim services are available while construction is underway?
Recognizing the immediate needs in the region, SCFHP is currently operating a temporary South County Service Hub inside The Neon Exchange at 7365 Monterey Road in Gilroy. This transitional location provides many of the same services that will be offered at the SCCRC, including help with Medi-Cal and CalFresh applications, customer service support, and basic resource referrals.
Residents can contact the Service Hub at SouthCountyCRC@scfhp.com or call 1-408-613-9001 to make an appointment. The Hub operates Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a lunch break closure from 12 to 1 p.m.
How does this investment align with trends in California’s healthcare landscape?
SCFHP’s investment in Gilroy echoes broader healthcare transformation initiatives across California aimed at integrating social and medical services to improve outcomes and reduce long-term costs. The California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiative, launched by the Department of Health Care Services, encourages managed care organizations like SCFHP to deliver Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports such as housing navigation, food assistance, and medically tailored meals.
In South County, the SCCRC is expected to support these goals by providing on-the-ground access to ECM referrals and wraparound services. This also aligns with regional health system trends that have seen organizations like Valley Health Center and Gardner Health Services exploring deeper partnerships to serve hard-to-reach populations.
Early sentiment from health equity advocates and service providers suggests optimism that the SCCRC could serve as a model for decentralized health system architecture, especially in rural and exurban areas of California where transit barriers and workforce shortages hinder traditional clinic-based care.
What’s next for the SCCRC and Santa Clara Family Health Plan?
The South County Community Resource Center is on track for completion in early 2026, with phased programming to begin shortly after final inspections. McLarney Construction is leading the buildout, and SCFHP has indicated that future community hiring and volunteer opportunities will be announced in coordination with local workforce development boards.
Over the next several months, SCFHP plans to continue gathering community input through listening sessions and pop-up events across Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Additional partnerships are also expected to form between the SCCRC and community-based organizations specializing in behavioral health, homelessness prevention, and maternal-child health.
The health plan has not disclosed the total cost of the SCCRC development, but insiders suggest that the investment reflects a longer-term regional play by SCFHP to position itself as both a payer and a community health integrator in underserved pockets of Santa Clara County.
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