LVMC Receives $200,000 Grant to Expand Access to Pediatrics and Primary Care

Lompoc Valley Medical Center has received a $200,000 grant from CenCal Health to assist in improving community access to pediatric and primary care services.

CenCal Health reinvests Medi-Cal funds back into its service area through its Medi-Cal Capacity, Access and Workforce Grant Program, of which LVMC was a recipient. The grants specifically focus on improving access to pediatric, primary, behavioral health and specialty care services.

"At Lompoc Valley Medical Center, our commitment is to ensure every member of our community has timely access to high-quality care, including pediatric, primary and specialty services,” said Chief Executive Officer Yvette Cope, MSN. “This grant from CenCal Health allows us to accelerate that mission by expanding our provider workforce and enhancing the services we offer. We are grateful for CenCal Health’s continued partnership and shared dedication to improving the health of our region."

Prior to the grant, LVMC had three pediatricians at its Lompoc Health clinics. Using the grant funds to aid with recruiting, LVMC added an additional pediatrician in August 2025.

LVMC is currently in the process of recruiting two additional providers as a result of the grant funding.

CenCal Health is the local Medi-Cal health plan that partners with local physicians, hospitals, clinics and other providers to deliver healthcare services to more than 242,000 members. An estimated one in three residents of Santa Barbaa County uses CenCal Health.

“CenCal Health is thrilled to partner with Lompoc Valley Medical Center on the implementation and expansion of these important services,” said Jordan Turetsky, MPH, CenCal Health Chief Strategic Engagement Officer, in a statement.

In a statement when the Grant program was announced last year, CenCal Health CEO Marina Owen said, “This grant program presents a key opportunity for CenCal Health to support our local medical community in addressing our region’s healthcare needs. Our Board of Directors – made up of health professionals and community leaders – is united in carrying out this strategy to broaden access to care for all residents of the Central Coast, including CenCal Health members.”