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Clients, staff urge board to keep Navias neighborhood mental‑health clinic open
Summary
Multiple clients, staff and community members told the board that proposed changes to county clinic contracts would shut a critical local clinic (Navias), risking relapse, homelessness and loss of culturally competent care for Spanish‑ and Vietnamese‑speaking clients.
Dozens of clients and staff spoke during the public‑comment period on April 26 to press the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to preserve Navias — a neighborhood clinic the speakers said is one of the few culturally and linguistically appropriate access points for people with serious mental illness.
“My name is Margarita Herrera. I’m here with colleagues and clients from behavioral health,” Margarita Herrera said, opening the in‑chamber comments. Herrera and other staff detailed the clinic’s role serving Spanish‑speaking clients and described it as a culturally proficient site that provides language‑matched staff and continuity.
Arti Patel, who said the clinic serves more than 500 active clients and sees about 370 in‑person each month, warned that the county proposal assumes contracted providers can absorb displaced clients but noted many have limited capacity: “Referring our clients out does not create access, it creates shuffling clients,” Patel said.
Multiple current and former clients described clinical improvements tied to the clinic’s medication management and trusting relationships; several said the loss of the neighborhood site would present immediate risks including relapse and homelessness. “This clinic saved my life,” one commenter said.
Board members acknowledged the testimony and directed that written comments be included in the record. The public speakers asked for the board to preserve a fully staffed clinic network rather than concentrating services downtown.
The testimony informs the board’s pending budget and contracting discussions. County staff and board members will consider these stakeholder statements as they review proposed contract changes and future decisions about clinic locations and funding.
