In The News: Marin Community Clinics’ Downtown San Rafael Location Opens

Dr. Jose Chibras-Sainz and medical assistant Karla Ayala Romero consult with patient Shejla Martinovic at the new Marin Community Clinics site at the Vivalon campus in San Rafael, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Marin Community Clinics has opened a new medical office at the Vivalon seniors housing complex in downtown San Rafael.

The 2,500-square-foot clinic at 999 Third St. will serve patients of all ages. An estimated 7,900 visits are expected annually.

The clinic has six examination rooms and will be staffed by 11 people, including physicians, a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, medical assistants, a social worker an administrator and front office staff. The clinic will offer services such as immunizations, referrals for speciality care, reproductive health care and therapy.

The clinic is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Marin Community Clinics has opened a new medical clinic at the Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus in downtown San Rafael.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday , but the clinic officially opened Sept. 4, according to an announcement, released jointly by Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus’ project partners, Marin Community Clinics, Vivalon and Eden Housing.

The new medical clinic serves adults age 62 and older who live at Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus, as well as Marin County residents in need of medical care, including children and San Rafael’s homeless population, according to the Oct. 1 announcement. Marin Community Clinics noted there will be a “special focus” on treating low-income adults.

Medical services include primary care, psychotherapy, immunizations, reproductive health planning, and referrals for specialty and ancillary care, such as physical therapy, according to the announcement.

“Increasing access to care is one of the hallmarks of (Marin Community Clinics’) mission. Even today, there is a tremendous unmet need in Marin,” Dr. Nelson Branco, chair of the organization’s board of directors, stated in the release. “The clinic will go a long way toward addressing this need.”

In the announcement, Marin Community Clinics said it expects to accommodate approximately 7,900 visits a year at the Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus.

The medical clinic is open Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The clinic is closed on weekends.

The opening of the downtown San Rafael clinic marks the final step in the completion of the Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus project, which opened Jan. 2 after more than a decade in the making, according to the release.

The campus integrates medical care, social engagement, vital services and 66 units of 100% affordable housing. The affordable homes are for residents age 62 and up who earn less than 60% of the area median income. Rental prices range from $770 to $1,650 per month, according to the release.

“Our vision for the Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus is now complete,” Joe O’Hehir, Vivalon’s interim CEO, stated in the release. “Vivalon’s community-based model to address the social determinants of health affecting the elderly, with on-site health care and affordable housing for older adults, through our partnerships with Marin Community Clinics and Eden Housing, has resulted in a new integration of care for all older adults in Marin County.”

Vivalon Healthy Aging Campus is located at 999 Third St., San Rafael.