The merger of LifeLong Medical Care and Brookside Community Health Center was unanimously approved by the West Contra Costa Healthcare District at its Board of Directors meeting on March 28, 2012. Marty Lynch, Executive Director/CEO of LifeLong Medical Care, said of the merger, “We believe this agreement will allow for even more and better services to the West Contra Costa community.  We are relying on the strengths of both organizations to ensure that LifeLong Brookside becomes the community health center of choice for West Contra Costa County.”

LifeLong Medical Care Board Chair Georgia Lacy, a former Public Health Nurse who worked in Richmond for many years, said she is personally thrilled to be back in the community through the LifeLong Brookside collaboration.

For more than thirty -six years, LifeLong Medical Care has continued to expand its mission of providing high quality health care for all who are in need, especially those who are underserved. The original vision of the Gray Panthers to provide medical and social services for seniors through the Over 60 Health Center has expanded to include care for all ages. LifeLong’s thirteen locations include nine sites for primary medical care, two sites for dental care, one adult day health center, plus school based clinics and a supportive housing program. Last year, LifeLong provided services for more than 24,000 residents of Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties.

Brookside was established in 1994 by the West Contra Costa Healthcare District to address the lack of primary health care services for low-income, medically underserved residents of West County.  Brookside has responded to community needs by developing dental and prenatal services, while augmenting the original San Pablo clinic with a second site in Richmond.  In 2011, Brookside provided care to over 17,000 patients who reflect the unique diversity of West Contra Costa County.  Nearly one-third of Brookside’s patients are children under the age of 12 years; another fourth are women between the ages of 20 and 39.

Through this merger, LifeLong Brookside continues to strengthen the fabric of our community.