A Community Hospital Built for Emergency Care
For 75 years, the San Bernardino Mountains Community Hospital District, also referred to as Mountains Community Hospital (MCH), has provided essential healthcare and emergency services to residents and visitors across our mountain communities
Aging Facilities Need Major Upgrades
MCH is a public district hospital owned by the community, not a large corporation. Funds are reinvested locally to support patient care, emergency services, and the long-term health needs of our region. As a designated Critical Access Hospital and the only emergency room within 45 minutes for many residents and visitors, MCH plays an essential role in keeping care close to home — especially during fires, earthquakes, storms, and other emergencies that can cut our community off from outside help.
The State does not provide funding for local hospital facility improvement, so the District must rely on local bond funding to repair and modernize its campus. The hospital’s 1951 building is outdated, and assessments point to safety, disability access, earthquake, and technology needs that affect patient care, staff efficiency, and emergency readiness.
Modernizing Care and Disaster Readiness
Mountains Community Hospital has secured a USDA loan that will help pay for a portion of needed hospital upgrades, including an emergency room expansion. Because the USDA loan would require repayment over several years and would not cover all needed updates, the Board of Directors voted to place a bond measure, Measure Q, on the November 2026 ballot that could help repay the loan and bridge the funding gap. The measure would cost property owners no more than $25 per $100,000 of assessed, not market, value annually for as long as bonds are outstanding and would cost the typical homeowner less than $80 per year. If approved by voters, Measure Q would help Mountains Community Health with:
Disaster Readiness: Upgrading the hospital to remain fully functional during natural disasters, even if cut off from external utilities
Emergency Room Expansion: Building a new emergency room and inpatient care unit for better patient privacy and modern medical care
Modern Technology: Building a new hospital wing with adequate electrical and plumbing to support advanced medical equipment and future technologies
Legal Compliance: Retrofitting the 1951 building to meet mandatory earthquake safety and disability access standards to prevent legally required closure
Skilled Nursing and Outpatient Care: Expanding our skilled nursing facility and outpatient care services to ensure local residents who need long-term care can stay close to home
Mountains Community Hospital has secured a USDA loan to help pay for a portion of needed improvements, including an emergency room expansion. Because the loan would not cover all needed updates and must be repaid over time, a potential bond measure could help repay the loan and bridge the funding gap. The measure would cost property owners no more than $25 per $100,000 of assessed — not market — value annually while bonds are outstanding and would cost the typical homeowner less than $85 per year.
Local Control, Oversight, and Public Reporting
Measure Q would include clear accountability requirements to help ensure funds are spent as voters intended, including the following:
- Independent citizens’ oversight would help ensure bond funds are spent as voters intended
- Annual public disclosure and independent audits would keep the community informed about how funds are spent
- All funds would stay in the community to improve the hospital, and, by law, no funds could be taken by the County or State or used for other purposes
We Want To Hear From You
If you have any questions, please reach out to Kim McGuire at kimberly.mcguire@mchcares.com