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Sonoma County Health Action team holds first meeting

SANTA ROSA, Oct. 12, 2007 -- Twenty-seven Sonoma County leaders talked of changing the health care delivery paradigm today at the first meeting of the newly formed Health Action team, where the full roster of participants was released. Representatives came from health care, business, government and other sectors of the community and will eventually present recommendations to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors after a year of studying health care issues in the county.

Previously referred to as Sonoma Health Action Council, the group participated in a round table discussion this morning at the Health Services Department for the first of 22 meetings.

“We are in a very unique time for health care in Sonoma County, and I think it is time we start thinking about alternatives,” said Rita Scardaci, director of the county Department of Health Services and co-chair of Health Action. “Now is the time when we have the greatest potential for change, and I am excited about the opportunity to work with this group.”

The 32-member council, co-chaired by Supervisor Tim Smith, will eventually be divided into two task forces, focusing on health care delivery and community health. Five Health Action members were unable to attend the first meeting.

The complete list of participants includes:

Bob Anderson, United Winegrowers for Sonoma County executive director

Jane Bender, Santa Rosa City councilmember

Oscar Chavez, Community Action Partnership Sonoma County executive director

Judy Coffey, Kaiser Permanente senior vice president and area manager in Marin and Sonoma counties

Stanley Cohen, Sonoma City Council mayor

Mike Cohill, Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa CEO

Walter Collins, United Way Sonoma-Mendocino-Lake president and CEO

Terry Davis, Summit State Bank president

Nancy Dobbs, KRCB Television and Radio CEO

Brad Drexler, Sonoma County Medical Association president

Jerry Dunn, Human Services Department director

Heather Foote, Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers representative

Naomi Fuchs, Southwest Community Health Center CEO

Bo Greaves, Primary Care Associates president and former California Academy of Family Physicians president

Judy House, PsychStrategies

Pat Kilkenny, Kilkenny Advisors principal

Bruce Kyse, Press Democrat publisher

Mary Maddux-Gonzalez, Department of Health Services public health officer;

Tom Maloney, Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council appointee

Suzy Marzalek, community volunteer

Andrew McGuire, Trauma Foundation and Health Care executive director

Cynthia Murray, North Bay Leadership Council president and CEO

George Perez, St. Joseph Health System Sonoma County CEO

David Rabbitt, Petaluma City councilmember

Rita Scardaci, Department of Health Services director

Lisa Wittke Schaffner, Healdsburg City Council vice mayor and Sonoma County Alliance executive director

Tim Smith, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors

Ben Stone, Economic Development Board executive director

Mary Szecsey, West County Health Centers executive director

Lee Turner, Community Baptist Church reverend

Carl Wong, Sonoma County Office of Education superintendent

Keith Woods, North Coast Builders Exchange CEO.

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