ABOUT US
Our Mission:
“Together we transform our communities through compassionate, individualized care, eliminating barriers to health and well-being.”
Our History
In 1978, a small group of dedicated doctors united around a bold idea: close the gap in health care for seasonal and migrant farm workers. What began as a modest clinic in Toppenish, Washington has grown to one of the largest Community Health Centers in the nation. Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic quickly became more than a place farm workers could access care. It became a catalyst for change, challenging and addressing barriers that stood between all families and their wellness.
Expanding Our Reach
Over the next four decades, Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic grew beyond its valley roots. Today, our network expands across all communities in the Yakima Valley, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and in Astoria, Clatskanie, and Hermiston. We now serve over 200,000 patients annually across diverse industries and communities.
Investing in Future Talent
Our approach to health care isn't just about meeting today's needs, it's also about addressing future needs. As a teaching health center, we train the next generation of health care providers with programs for dental, medical, behavioral health, and pharmacy professionals.
Meeting Growing Patient Needs
What started as care for farm workers has evolved into a promise to all families facing barriers to high-quality, affordable health care. Every day, we work to make that promise real.
Our Mission, Our Vision, Our Values:
Our mission is more than words; it is our promise.
Together we transform our communities through compassionate, individualized care, eliminating barriers to health and well-being.
We stand as a symbol of community health and wellness. By partnering with patients and community organizations, we create a future where everyone can thrive. Every service reflects our shared commitment to building a healthier tomorrow. Every patient’s journey is unique. We provide care with kindness and understanding, tailoring services to meet diverse needs. Beyond treating illness, we address social factors that impact health through education, nutrition guidance, mental health support, and more. Policies like sliding fee scales, language interpretation, and assistance with Medicaid or Medicare enrollment help eliminate barriers.
Our Vision: The health of each person is the health of humanity.
Individual and collective wellbeing are inseparable. Our care is individualized and personal to each patient, but also in service to the greater good of humanity. Healthier individuals strengthen families and communities, creating a ripple effect of well-being for generations to come.
Our Values: Driving Our Mission Forward
At Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, our core values of Service, Passion, Innovation, Commitment, and Empathy are the heart of who we are. They guide every decision, every interaction, and every effort to deliver exceptional care. Through these values, we strive to strengthen trust, foster collaboration, and create lasting impact for the patients and communities we serve.
Our Care
At Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, care begins with compassion, empathy, and concern. We believe that patients, providers, staff, and the community are all connected in a shared mission to improve health and well-being. This belief has guided us since 1978. When the clinic first opened, migrant and seasonal farmworkers had almost no health care access. Dr. Paul Monahan and Dr. Donald Gargas, our founding physicians, wove a commitment to improving the lives of the families who had no place to go. Together, with a committed group of board members, they established a clinic in Toppenish inside a small plywood house built by VISTA volunteers. Today, as we serve over 200,000 patients across Washington and Oregon, that spirit of service continues to shape everything we do.
Growing to Meet Need
- We serve more than 200,000 patients, nearly half of whom are children.
- Our full-time staff has grown to more than 2,000.
- Our Northwest Community Action Center has helped another 7,500 people with educational services, employment, and job training, rental and shelter help, and assistance paying for weatherization and utility bills.
- Our WIC services alone have helped 30,000 people get food.
Committed to Excellence in Health Care
- We are Joint Commission certified because of our outstanding programs and services.
- We are Meaningful Use recognized for using technology to offer our patients the best care and record-keeping possible, to engage patients and their families in their health, and to assure our clients’ privacy and security.
- We’ve also earned our Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home recognition by listening to patients, focusing on their personal health goals, and continuing to provide safe, high-quality affordable care.
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic is an FTCA deemed organization
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic is a network of health care clinics that receives HHS funding and has Federal PHS deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals
