Nurses Protest Closure of Emergency Services at Santa Paula Hospital

Healthcare Workers Rally Against Service Cuts in Ventura County

Healthcare professionals and nurses at Santa Paula Hospital (SPH) and Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) are set to protest on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The demonstration, organized by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), aims to challenge the county leaders' decision to cut essential healthcare services in the Santa Clara River Valley.

A recent decision by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 18 plans to phase out emergency and acute care services at SPH by 2030 or sooner, transitioning the facility into a medical office that lacks emergency capabilities. This move has raised alarms among healthcare workers and local residents, who fear it will exacerbate healthcare access issues in the Valley, an area already experiencing poorer health outcomes compared to the broader Ventura County. Many community members have expressed concern over the implications of these changes. Read More

Protest Details

What: Demonstration to oppose the removal of emergency and acute care services at Santa Paula Hospital

Who: Nurses and healthcare professionals at SPH and VCMC

When: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, from 7:45 am to 9:15 am

Where: Ventura County Government Center | 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, Calif. | Corner of Telephone Rd. and Victoria Ave.

"Instead of keeping health care close to home, County supervisors are forcing Valley residents to travel further for life-saving care," stated Tiffany Leon, RN, who works at SPH and VCMC and resides in Santa Paula. "Ventura County Health Care Agency's plans are inappropriate and unjust, which is unsurprising because they have barely engaged residents and the health care workers who care for them. This decision undermines equal care and access for our patients."

Concerns have also been raised about the lack of community engagement by county leaders. An Aug. 7 town hall titled “Future of Santa Paula Hospital” in Santa Paula, orchestrated by the Ventura County Health Care Agency, was minimally publicized, raising doubts about the effectiveness of the county's communication efforts.

SPH currently provides essential services such as emergency care, medical-surgical, telemetry, in-patient observation, and operating room facilities to rural communities including Ventura, Saticoy, Lake Piru, Santa Paula, Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai Valley, and Santa Clara River Valley. With the proposed service cuts, residents will need to rely on the VCMC, located 15 miles away from SPH, potentially leaving thousands without immediate access to critical healthcare.

Tiffany Leon, RN, alongside other healthcare professionals, voiced particular concern for marginalized communities, including those employed in the county's agricultural sector. She emphasized, “All residents of Ventura County deserve a fully functioning hospital that is able to provide services for emergencies and other acute care needs. Nurses and health care professionals are taking to the streets to let our community know we are fighting for their health care and to demand County supervisors and health care administrators provide equal care for all Ventura County residents."

CNA represents over 900 healthcare professionals, including RNs, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psych techs, and licensed vocational nurses working across various facilities, including hospitals, clinics, and public health departments.

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California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.

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