South Santa Clara County residents with heart issues just got a better shot at lifesaving care. Officials on Wednesday announced the rollout of cardiology care at Saint Louise Hospital in Gilroy and Valley Health Center in Morgan Hill, in a region that’s historically lacked medical access across South County’s huge swaths of farmland and open...
San Jose cuts drug oversight program days after it restarts
San Jose officials have quietly killed a firefighter drug oversight program just days after reinstating it. This comes after a paramedic drug theft scandal exposed patients to tampered narcotics and sparked backlash against funding cuts that originally dissolved the initiative. The program known as Med 30 was deactivated on Dec. 21, the same month it...
Fed cuts force San Jose farm to reduce food aid
A federal program that brought fresh produce from farms directly to low-income families has ended, stripping local farmers of a significant revenue stream and leaving families with one less option. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) — a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative started in 2021 during the pandemic — provided $1...
Study shows food insecurity highest in East San Jose
During the last 10 days of every month, Julia pulls together whatever scant meals she can with produce from food banks and canned items until her food benefits renew. The 28-year-old, who didn’t provide her last name for privacy reasons, receives about $600 a month in food stamps to feed herself and three children. She...
Santa Clara County nurses speak out against staffing shortages
Nurses are sounding the alarm on staffing shortages at Santa Clara County hospitals that they say are causing delays in patient care. Nurses rallied at county hospitals Tuesday to protest furloughs and dangerous staffing shortages stemming from President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which slashed funding for vital services including Medi-Cal and food stamps. Dozens...
Santa Clara County nurses say furloughs hinder patient care
The chilling effects of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” have caused nurses to be furloughed across Santa Clara County’s hospitals. Dozens of local nurses have been furloughed over the past few months, creating staffing shortages across the entire public health care system, according to nurses and union representatives. They also pointed out furloughs at...
More South County homeless receive health care
Local officials are reporting a sharp uptick in homeless people seeking health services in South County – a trend they credit to successful outreach. South County patient encounters with the Valley Homeless Healthcare Program — which provides mobile and fixed-site primary care, substance abuse and oral health services — have exceeded last year’s totals. As...
Santa Clara County cancer center carries on amid funding woes
The recent passage of a countywide sales tax measure is expected to soften federal funding cuts to Silicon Valley’s largest public hospital system. But it won’t avoid cuts entirely — and places like Santa Clara County’s premier cancer treatment center could still be affected. It’s estimated that roughly 18% of all Santa Clara County cancer patients will be...
Audit calls for changes after San Jose firefighter drug tampering
A city audit is recommending the San Jose Fire Department strengthen its drug tracking and inventory security after painkiller thefts by a firefighter led to patients receiving morphine from tampered vials. The audit, released Monday, recommends Fire Chief Robert Sapien’s department updates its policies on storage and access to paramedic drug kits, timing of inventory inspections, as...
Santa Clara County struggles to keep mental health workers
Santa Clara County is struggling to retain its behavioral health workforce. A recent report from the University of California, San Francisco examines the gaps in the county’s Behavioral Health and Services Department. It shows that between February 2024 and February 2025, 28% of behavioral health workers employed by the department and contracted agencies are no...