Our community of the Upper Susitna Valley hereby submits the following letter to the Sunshine Community Health Center board (hereinafter referred to as “SCHC”) and request that this letter be reviewed by all Board Members.  This letter outlines the numerous persistent problems that have developed at SCHC under the leadership of the current Chief Executive Officer, Melody West.  We believe that these problems directly stem from the Chief Executive Officer's insufficient educational background and her lack of experience and knowledge regarding community health.  Melody West has shown herself unwilling or unable to provide effective, compassionate and trustworthy leadership to SCHC.  Over time we have come to see the corrosive effect that her leadership style has had on staff morale and the climate of fear that has arisen under her watch, with anxiety and uncertainty rampant amongst staff and by extension their friends, family and associates throughout the community.   Our community needs competent and qualified leaders who put a high priority on the well-being of patients and staff, and we do not believe that Melody West’s job performance has met this standard.

A very large proportion of the clinic’s funding and current budget is driven by grants awarded to programs that serve the community: from the FY 18-19 Financial Audit:  “In 2018 and 2019, respectively, the Center received approximately 41% and 47% of its revenues from governmental grants…”  The recent extensive financial investment in Wasilla has diverted SCHC from its own vision and original purpose of focusing resources on the rural aspect of our community. Our community is small and quite often the needs of small communities are the last to be met when compared to areas with a larger population base. We would like to urge the board to take these concerns seriously so as to protect the community’s confidence in the clinic and the clinic’s reputation as a professional, trustworthy local health provider.

A strong network of close interpersonal-relationships exists between the residents of the Upper Susitna Valley.  The degraded morale of staff is felt and noted community-wide, and efforts to silence concern only work to undermine the clinic’s community standing.  Key personnel in critical roles have been systematically removed or have opted to resign in recent years for voicing valid concerns.  Rather than addressing these legitimate concerns regarding patient and personnel safety, staff are removed or forced to endure an unsafe and unhealthy work environment.  The staff and community members' total lack of confidence in the leadership of SCHC has rendered the clinic’s operations ineffective. Because of this, many long time patients of SCHC have opted to change their provider even when it means significantly more driving time.

The community members of the Upper Susitna Valley have legitimate concerns about the long-term viability of the organization as it is structured today. It is the duty of the Board of Directors to remedy the concerns herein and hold SCHC Leadership accountable.

The Sunshine Community Health Center (SCHC) provides a service which can quite often be the difference in life or death for our community members.  In consideration of these vital points, the undersigned hereby request that the SCHC Board of Directors hold a vote of no confidence in Melody West as Chief Executive Officer for the Sunshine Community Health Center.

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