Press release from Mad River Hospital:

On May 20, 2023, the Board of Directors of Mad River Community Hospital (“Mad River”) approved a Non-Binding Letter of Intent with hospital management company Southwest Healthcare Services, LLC (“Southwest”), setting a general framework for Mad River to be acquired and, thereafter, operated as part of Southwest’s affiliated healthcare network. Over the course of the next 90 days, the parties will complete their mutual due diligence and work towards a definitive agreement. The parties expect to reach a definitive agreement, secure regulatory approvals, and implement the change of control in the Fall of 2023. During such period and through the transition, Mad River will remain open and continue to operate normally.

As part of the framework, Southwest has committed to (i) maintaining employee wages and benefits; (ii) maintaining physician contracts; (iii) maintaining existing services; and (iv) investing heavily in facility upgrades and service line expansions, including behavioral health.

“I am very excited to make this announcement today,” said Mad River Chairman and CEO Douglas Shaw, “My father built this hospital, and it has been my life’s passion to carry on his legacy. I am proud of Mad River’s 50-plus year heritage as a stand-alone hospital. However, as small rural hospitals continue to struggle financially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that, to ensure Mad River’s long-term viability in this community, we need to partner with a proven healthcare management team that can navigate the current uncertainties in the economic climate for hospitals in California.”

“Southwest is the perfect fit at the perfect time,” said Shaw, “led by Precious Mayes, an executive who has won accolades for her leadership of critical access and safety net hospitals, Southwest will be operating a small but stable hospital network that shares Mad River’s values and culture. I look forward to the community getting to know her and her talented team over the weeks and months to come.”

Mr. Shaw emphasized that the choice of new management was driven by shared values and culture. “In recent decades, Mad River has been approached about potential acquisitions, but we have declined to give up our independence based on concerns that such a move would neither serve the needs of the community nor protect our devoted staff,” said Mr. Shaw. “However, we were attracted to this team because of its commitment to our staff and its track record with other hospitals in difficult circumstances.”

Southwest is a hospital management company that currently manages Pacifica of the Valley Hospital (“Pacifica”) in the San Fernando Valley and the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center in Sylmar, CA. Southwest is currently working to open other hospitals following their closures by prior owners in order to serve the communities in which each is located. “This strategic partnership presents an enormous opportunity to fulfill our mission of strengthening access to medical and mental health services” said Ms. Mayes. “ Ms. Mayes emphasized that the coming weeks and months will be devoted to getting to know the community in preparation for meeting its healthcare needs. “We are deeply humbled by the opportunity presented to us by Mad River’s leadership, and we are committed to earning the trust of the communities Mad River serves.”

FAQs

1. Why did Mad River choose to evaluate partnership options?

Healthcare is facing difficult times and stand-alone hospitals are vulnerable and challenged to continue in the current environment. The impact of the pandemic has exacerbated the already difficult operating environment, notably reductions in reimbursements and increased costs.

This is particularly the case for small, rural hospitals like Mad River. To ensure Mad River’s long-term viability and commitment to Humboldt County, we need to partner with a healthcare network that has the foundation to remain stable in an uncertain economic climate for hospitals in California.

This decision will secure the future of quality healthcare in our community, while retaining meaningful continued influence.

2. Why Southwest Health Care Services, LLC?

Mad River selected Southwest following an exhaustive and competitive process, in which leadership met with more than a half dozen organizations.

Ultimately, Southwest was selected because its philosophy, culture, and leadership best met Mad River’s objectives, and we felt they would be the best to carry forward Mad River’s legacy and values.

Southwest intends to manage Mad River directly or through a Southwest affiliate.

3. During the period of transition, will Mad River continue to operate?

Yes, Mad River will continue to operate under its existing ownership and management until the transition is complete and Southwest assumes management. Leadership from Mad River and Southwest are committed to a seamless transition for our patients, employees, and providers.

4. Who is Southwest Health Care Services, LLC and Precious Mayes?

Southwest Health Care Services, LLC is a hospital management company that has a long history of successfully assisting independent community hospitals. It presently manages Pacifica of the Valley Hospital in the San Fernando Valley and the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center in Sylmar, CA. Southwest is currently working to open other hospitals following their closures by prior owners in order to serve the communities in which each is located.

Southwest is led by Chief Executive Officer Precious Mayes, who has 25-plus years of healthcare leadership experience. In 2019, Precious was presented with a congressional award given by Congressman Tony Cardenas, 29th Congressional District. Precious was recognized for her years of outstanding community service, advocacy, leadership and tireless involvement as CEO at Pacifica Hospital.

Additionally, Precious has received the prestigious San Fernando Valley Business Journal awards for “Business Executive of The Year”, and “Women in Business of the Year”. Precious was also listed in the “2019 Valley 200 Book” as one of the top 200 Influential Business Leaders in the San Fernando Valley. Precious was a nominee recipient 4 consecutive years for “Women in Healthcare” by LA Business Journal. She is an active member of the California Hospital Association (Leadership Committee), California Association of Healthcare Facilities, American Healthcare Association, United Hospital Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Precious was featured on the cover story of Insight Success magazine as one of the “Most Admired Women Leaders in Business for 2020”. January 2021, The Boss Magazine featured Pacifica Hospital in a cover story article, “PACIFICA HOSPITAL OF THE VALLEY DELIVERS BEST-IN-CLASS PUBLIC HEALTH CARE.”

5. Without this partnership, would Mad River close?

No, Mad River is committed to its long-term presence and success in our community, with or without this partnership.

6. Will the name of the hospital change?

No name change expected.

7. When will the transition occur?

Mad River and Southwest anticipate that the change of control will occur at some point in the Fall of 2023.

8. Is the transition guaranteed to occur?

No. At this point, the parties have signed a Non-Binding Letter of Intent, which sets a framework for the transaction and is an aid to drafting a binding agreement. Under the Letter of Intent, the parties will continue their mutual due diligence and work towards the execution of a definitive agreement, which creates binding commitments.

###

CORRECTION: This post initially misidentified where Southwest Healthcare Services LLC is located. The Outpost regrets that error.

Today on HUMBOLDT TODAY: How about that earthquake? Plus: A potential censure of a member of the Board of Supervisors, Yurok and the fentanyl crisis, easy online filing for restraining orders, the Kite Festival, weather and Pointless Polls galore. Tune in!

ADDITIONAL READING:

• Earthquake! 5.5M Earthquake 108 Kilometers West of Petrolia
• $20K Investigation Reveals Steve Madrone Violated the Board of Supervisors Code of Conduct During a Meeting With the Trinidad Rancheria Last Year; Board to Consider Censure During Tuesday’s Meeting
• Humboldt County Residents Can Now File for Domestic Violence and Gun Violence Restraining Orders Online
• Yurok Tribe Declares Emergency in Response to Surge in Fentanyl Overdoses 
• (PHOTOS/VIDEO) Flyin’ High at the Second Annual Redwood Coast Kite Festival

DOCUMENT:

• ”Incorporating the City of McKinleyville: To Be, or Not to Be?” Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury, May 22, 2023.

###

You hear the conversation burble up from time to time. McKinleyville — why is it not a city? Why is the third-largest population center in our region still run by county government? Why doesn’t it have a police department? Why can’t it control its own land use decisions? Why can’t it fill its own potholes?

Then, nearly as soon as the conversation burbles up, it fades away. Too hard!

Well, as the 2022-2023 Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury notes in its most recent report — released today — the conversation has recently burbled up again. And this time, the GJ argues, the county should take it seriously, by funding a comprehensive “Initial Feasibility Analysis” that would take a hard look at the costs, the benefits and the drawbacks to incorporation.

Such a document could inform residents whether or not to pursue incorporation on the ballot — something that hasn’t happened since 1966, when residents of a very different Macktown than the one we have today voted it down.

From the Grand Jury report:

Citizens of McKinleyville have expressed interest in becoming a city. Similar interest has been demonstrated several times over the last 58 years, but aside from the “no” vote of 1966 there hasn’t been a comprehensive study of whether incorporation makes any sense. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, using discretionary funds, can commission such a study. Thus far, they have not demonstrated interest in exploring the issue.

An independent and neutral Initial Feasibility Analysis will give the 16,500 residents of McKinleyville the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their future. We believe that they deserve to possess this knowledge. The Board of Supervisors can make this happen, and we believe they should do so.

This is the third report released by the 2022-2023 Grand Jury, with more on the way as the term wraps up. Previous reports this term gave a glowing review of the county’s election systems and cast a critical eye on the state of child welfare services. If you’re curious about the Grand Jury’s operations, this year’s foreperson recently stopped by to talk with our John Kennedy O’Connor about just that.

Below: a full press release from the Humboldt County Grand Jury. Find the complete report on McKinleyville incorporation at this link.

The 2022-23 Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury urges the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors to fund an in-depth Initial Feasibility Analysis into the possible incorporation of McKinleyville.

The incorporation of McKinleyville has been a topic of discussion for decades. That conversation was not able to accurately deal with the effects and potential impacts of McKinleyville becoming a city because no in-depth analysis was ever done.

The citizens of Humboldt County deserve better!

It is not the intent of this report to argue for or against incorporation; it is however the intent of this report to urge the Board of Supervisors to fund an analysis that will make available to the citizens of McKinleyville the information necessary to once and for all make informed decisions regarding possible incorporation.  

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Animal Shelter is offering reduced-rate adoptions for dogs through May 26, 2023.

Due to the shelter’s dog kennels being over capacity, adoption fees for dogs are temporarily being reduced to $50 for adult dogs, $80 for puppies six-months-old or younger, and $35 for senior dogs seven-years-old or older. Cats remain at their regular adoption price.

Adoptable dogs are neutered or spayed, microchipped, up to date on shots and temperament tested.

The animal shelter’s currently available, adoptable pets are listed online and updated daily at 24petconnect.com. To view adoptable pets at the shelter, use the website’s filter with the shelter’s zip code, 95519. Adoptions are appointment-only, and you must have an approved application on file. Download and complete an adoption application at: HumboldtSheriff.org/Adopt.

The Humboldt County Animal Shelter is located at 980 Lycoming Ave in McKinleyville. To learn more about the Humboldt County Animal Shelter and the adoption process, visit HumboldtSheriff.org/Adopt or call (707) 840-9132.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On May 19, 2023, at about 12:35 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies on patrol in the Cutten area conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation near the intersection of Walnut Drive and Christopher Drive.

Deputies contacted the driver, 53-year-old Christopher Robert Wixson. During their investigation, deputies learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen. Deputies then searched the vehicle and located psilocybin mushrooms.

Wixson was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle (PC 496d(a)) and possession of a controlled substance (HS 11350).

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

The Yurok Tribal Council issued an emergency declaration in response to the fentanyl and xylazine crisis unfolding on and near the Yurok Reservation.

“The Yurok Tribal Council is sounding the alarm and taking action to address this exigent risk to our community,” said Joseph, L. James, the Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “Too many of our families have lost loved ones to fentanyl. Now, we are seeing fentanyl mixed with xylazine, which is even more dangerous.”

In the last 12 months, the lives of multiple Yurok citizens have been cut short due to fentanyl poisoning. Passed via a resolution, the State of Emergency declaration directs the Yurok Tribal Court and Yurok Public Health Department to oversee the Tribe’s response to the crisis.

The Yurok Tribal Council also made it mandatory for all tribal government staff to be trained in the administration of naloxone (Narcan), a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The Yurok Tribal Court has provided Narcan nasal spray kits and training to 266 tribal staff and community members in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties over the last two years.

The Yurok Tribal Police Department is performing drug interdiction work to prevent the spread of opioids. Similar to other local law enforcement agencies, the Yurok Police Department’s patrol officers are encountering fentanyl on a regular basis. Yurok Police officers have also saved lives via the administration of Narcan.

Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin. Xylazine is a sedative that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for veterinary use. In 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, tribal citizens in Del Norte County required emergency services for fentanyl overdoses at a rate of 54.49 per 100,000 residents compared to 5.87 per 100,000 white residents. In Humboldt County, the fentanyl-related overdose death rate for Native people was 114.99 per 100,000. For white residents, the rate was 23.80 per 100,000.

The Yurok Reservation is in one of the most remote and underserved parts of California. Assuming there are no road construction closures, the nearest ambulance services are one to three hours away from the most populated parts of the reservation. A person suffering an overdose from a combination of fentanyl and xylazine can pass away well before emergency services arrive.

“The lack of emergency medical services capacity for basic and advanced life-saving measures within the Yurok Tribe and geographic remoteness of the Yurok Reservation have and continue to present a major barrier to mobilizing adequate opioid overdose emergency responses,” according to the resolution.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved fentanyl for the management of acute pain. However, much of the fentanyl on the street is illegally imported through the US/Mexico border in powder or pill form. The powder is regularly pressed into pills that resemble prescription opioids such as Vicodin and Percocet.

In the US, many people have died from taking one fentanyl-laced pill that was made to look like a prescription painkiller. Fentanyl is also mixed with other illicit drugs, such as cocaine.

In addition to being a potent narcotic, fentanyl specifically and opioids in general are extraordinarily addictive. Those dependent on fentanyl experience severe withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking the drug. The withdrawal symptoms may include: body pain, depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, fever, diarrhea and other stomach-related issues.

Medically assisted treatment for opioid withdrawal and addiction counseling are available in Del Norte and Humboldt Counties. Health professionals manage the treatment to reduce the risks associated with fentanyl withdrawal.

Fentanyl is dangerous on its own, but it is even more deadly when mixed with xylazine. Drug users often blend fentanyl and xylazine, known as Tranq, to lengthen the effect of the short-acting opioid. The combination further increases the risk of a fatal overdose.

Last month, the Biden-Harris Administration officially designated fentanyl adulterated with xylazine as “an emerging threat the United States.” Narcan does not counter the effect of xylazine because it is not an opioid. However, administering Narcan is still recommended if drug poisoning is suspected. Community members are urged to participate in Narcan trainings in the region. All training participants receive free Narcan kits.

How to spot an opioid overdose and save a life

According to UC Davis, the most common signs of an overdose include:

• Small, constricted “pinpoint” pupils
• Falling asleep or losing consciousness
• Slow, weak, or not breathing
• Choking or gurgling sounds
• Limp body
• Cold and/or clammy skin
• Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)

Here is what to do if you see someone overdosing from fentanyl or other opioids.

• Call 911 immediately. (Police will not arrest a person who is overdosing or the person who called for help.)
• Administer the life-saving medication naloxone if you have it.
• Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
• Turn the person on their side to prevent choking.
• Stay with the person until paramedics arrive.

For more information about treatment in Humboldt County - https://opendoorhealth.com/services/substance-use-services/

For more information about opioid treatment in Del Norte County - https://opendoorhealth.com/locations/del-norte-community-health-center/

Press release from Humboldt County Superior Court:

In accordance with recently enacted Senate Bill 538 legislation, the Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt, is pleased to announce the launch of an online filing service for domestic violence and gun violence restraining orders via the Court’s website at https://www.humboldt.courts.ca.gov.

This new service aims to provide a convenient and efficient means for individuals to seek legal protection against domestic violence and gun violence.

The implementation of this online filing service reflects the Court’s commitment to enhancing accessibility and ensuring equitable justice for all community members. By implementing this service and embracing technological advances, the Court’s goal is to remove potential barriers associated with traditional filing methods and simplify the process for individuals seeking domestic violence and gun violence restraining orders.

Through the user-friendly interface found on the Court’s website, applicants may conveniently complete and submit necessary documentation from any location where there is access to the internet. Such a streamlined approach allows victims to take control of their legal affairs concerning domestic violence and gun violence while ensuring their comfort and privacy.

To access the online filing service for domestic violence and gun violence restraining orders, users may visit https://www.humboldt.courts.ca.gov and follow the provided instructions.