About 300 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 7 to open Plumas District Hospital's new care facility. After a brief presentation by the PDH board and administration, visitors were invited to take a tour of the state-of-the-art facility.
PDH Executive Director JoDee Johnson welcomed participants. She noted that the planning, design and construction process of the facility was not always easy and thanked the team for their support in making this possible.
PDH Board Chairman Andy Ryback spoke on behalf of the board, which includes Sam Blesse, Valerie Flanigan, Guy McNett and Bill Wickman. He thanked Johnson for her leadership and persistence in completing the project. He noted that the new SNF is a great example of fulfilling the dual goal of providing a much-needed service to the community while strengthening PDH as a whole. “There are so many of you who made this day possible – our residents, our foundation donors, our community partners, our hospital staff. And all of these contributions benefit the greatest stakeholders we have, our patients,” Ryback said. He added: “Bringing a project of this scale to life requires strong partnerships and collaboration across many sectors.”
PDH Chief Operating Officer Darren Beatty echoed Ryback's comments and acknowledged the contributions of many partners, including Aspen Tree Architects, who brought the original ideas for the design to reality. Beatty described her work product as “a thoughtful design that balanced practicality with compassion, allowing this building to be both a place of care and a place of comfort.”
Beatty also mentioned inspiration from PDH's collaboration with Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, which had just completed a new facility, as well as many other agencies that supported the project. This included the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provided low-interest loans, grants and other assistance. Beatty also thanked the Plumas County Planning Department, Quincy Fire Department, Wilburn Construction and Mountain Craft Landscaping for their support and recognized the PDH team, which he called the “heart and soul” of the project. “Their commitment to our patients and our community is the foundation for everything we have accomplished here,” Beatty said.
Beatty concluded his remarks by thanking the community. “This is yours,” he said. “You inspired the vision, you entrusted it to us, and today we give it back to you. We hope this facility is not just a building, but a promise that we will continue to invest in your health, your dignity and your future. So as we prepare to cut this ribbon, let's take a moment to celebrate what a partnership can achieve.”
CEO Johnson then cut the wide green ribbon that stretched across the main driveway and nearly the entire crowd entered the building, each person being greeted by Johnson as they entered.
The new 36-bed facility is welcoming, spacious and well-equipped. It includes a state-of-the-art kitchen and dining area, as well as rooms for therapy, meetings and social activities. Each resident room wing features a living room with a fireplace and a large screen television, and there are several outdoor patios for residents to enjoy.
The facility began hiring in early 2025 and expected to need about 80 new employees, including nurses, orderlies, cleaners and other support staff.
Information for prospective residents and their families, including FAQs about services and Medi-Cal eligibility, is available on the PDH website.
