Senator heard from Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa and health experts about the unique challenges rural communities face in accessing and administering care
SIERRA VISTA – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema met with Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa and medical leaders at the Chiricahua Community Health Center to tour the facility and discuss solutions to the unique challenges rural communities face in accessing and administering health care.
“Chiricahua is where so many in the Sierra Vista community go to see their doctors and medical providers. Today’s tour allowed me to see Chiricahua’s needs and how I can help ensure Arizonans can more easily access health care from their doctors and providers,” said Sinema.
Sinema saw firsthand the obstacles rural health centers like Chiricahua face in delivering quality, affordable care to the community – including difficulties recruiting and retaining a skilled health care workforce. Sinema highlighted efforts she supports that are aimed at increasing interest and improving training and retention for the health care workforce pipeline, like the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act.
Sinema secured nearly $800,000 to support Chiricahua’s new medical and dental clinic in Wilcox, which she hopes to finalize in the March spending deal. The Senator also secured funding for vaccines, resources to fight overdoses, and more over the last year.
Sinema also worked with Chiricahua to deliver additional funding to support a rural mobile mammography unit and rural health care workforce training to help meet health needs in the Sierra Vista community.
Recognizing the challenges the community faces in delivering mental health care, Sinema highlighted how the Bipartisan Safer Communities law she authored and led through Congress makes historic investments increasing mental health resources for providers.