All Health Services Now Open at the County of Santa Clara’s Vietnamese American Service Center
The public and the media are invited to a Grand Opening Ceremony on Sunday, April 10, to celebrate the full launch of vital services
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.— The public and the media are invited to celebrate the full launch of health and wellness services at the County of Santa Clara’s Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC). The second floor of the Center is now open, with the suite of services now including ambulatory primary care, behavioral health services, dental care, a pharmacy, and medical laboratories.
This is in addition to the initial services that became available after a soft opening in December, which included behavioral health navigation, Valley Health Center patient navigation, enrollment assistance for health coverage, emergency rental assistance, COVID-19 support programs, a Senior Nutrition Lunch Program, health education, and community wellness programs.
“Over the years, as we’ve watched the VASC go from concept to reality, it has been immensely gratifying to see it become one of the County’s most beautiful and well-equipped buildings,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D. “With each phase of its opening, our community has repeatedly shared their enthusiasm for this community center, and we see in real-time how the services impact the lives of a long-underserved population.”
The demand for services at the VASC continues to grow. The Center’s Senior Nutrition Lunch Program, which initially began with 180 meals per day, has now grown to 500. Seniors can show up early for wellness activities, stay for lunch, and then round out their day with a health education or community wellness activity. Smiles and friendly greetings fill their day, and the drum of lively Spanish and Vietnamese conversation permeates the facility.
Since the doors opened in December, many community members have shown up, driven by word-of-mouth about the Center’s friendly Vietnamese and Spanish speaking staff. One Vietnamese senior, who has been living in Santa Clara County for nearly three decades and always wanted to get a bus pass, finally got her wish recently with the help of a VASC staff member.
“We assist community members with multiple services, including requests that are non-health related such as assisting with filling out an application or interpreting a Jury Duty notice. They have a place to go where they feel comfortable and welcome – even if they’re not completely sure of all the services that we offer at the VASC, they know we can assist them in their language,” said Mikelle Le, VASC manager. “When they share their gratitude with us, it’s heartwarming to know that we can provide the services that are important to them.”
Grand Opening Ceremony
The VASC’s Grand Opening Ceremony will be held on Sunday, April 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2410 Senter Road in San José. The event will open with lion dances and comments from County leaders and community partners, followed by an afternoon of local Vietnamese and Spanish performers and facility tours.
To better facilitate parking and event access, media members planning to attend the Grand Opening Ceremony are encouraged to RSVP to [email protected].
For more information on the VASC, call (408) 828-4981 or email [email protected].
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ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multi-cultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, California, making it more populous than 14 states in the U.S. Santa Clara County is home to the second largest population of Vietnamese residents outside of Viet Nam. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
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Media Contact: María Leticia Gómez / Quan Vu, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119, [email protected]
Posted: April 6, 2022