Socorro Independent School District officials outlined a proposal on June 9 to transition the district’s on‑site employee health clinic to a near‑site clinic operated by a community provider, naming University Medical Center (UMC) as a potential partner.

Director of employee benefits Mario Carmona told the board the on‑site clinic "potentially could turn into a near site clinic," explaining the move follows an internal audit and limits on service scalability at the district-run site. Carmona said, "the clinic closure date would be September 30, and the relationship with the health care provider could be as early as July 1." He added that patients with visits in the past two years must receive 30 days' notice if the clinic closes.

What would change and what would stay the same
- Model: The near‑site clinic would be provided by a medical services provider (examples discussed: UMC) rather than run by the district.
- Services: Staff said the new provider could offer broader primary‑care services, pediatric care (the district clinic currently accepts patients age 4+), pharmacy services with delivery, mental health and counseling supports, and extended hours (staff noted UMC offers Monday–Saturday services from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.).
- Cost to employees: For employees enrolled in the district’s base and premier plans, a $10 copay for clinic visits would remain. Employees in the consumer‑driven (high‑deductible) plan have different cost‑share rules under IRS guidance; staff said they are clarifying those amounts with consultants.

Staffing and transition
Carmona said employees who work in the clinic would receive temporary agreements through Sept. 30 to cover the transition. He described two contracting models under consideration: a fee‑per‑service arrangement or an annual flat fee covering an estimated 6,000 visits; the district would evaluate year‑to‑year.

Board concerns and communications
Trustees pressed staff on customer service, intake and complaint handling under an external provider; Carmona said performance guarantees and service‑level expectations will be built into any agreement. Trustee questions also covered geographic access — some employees raised concerns that proposed UMC access points are on the district's east side — and staff said additional UMC sites and future access points could be considered.

Carmona and HR said they will not roll out public notifications until the board acts. "We want to make sure those were taken care of before informing the public," a staff member said; Carmona added that employee information sessions could begin immediately and that a formal agreement is scheduled to come to the board on June 24 for consideration.

Ending: No formal action was taken at the workshop. Staff said they will present a side‑by‑side comparison of current district clinic services and the proposed contract terms with any provider at the June 24 board meeting and will provide information and transition guides to employees once an agreement is finalized.