The Desert Healthcare District is a local government agency that has been at the center of advancing wellness in the Coachella Valley for 76 years.

Founded in December 1948, the District’s objective was to build a hospital to serve Palm Springs, California, and other western valley communities, which were then a remote region of the state with limited access to full-service medical care.

The agency’s focus during the next 50 years was to fund and operate Desert Hospital. During that time, the District also established a Foundation to support its efforts.

In 1997, prompted by the challenges of changing hospital management and payment methods, the District brought in a hospital corporation to operate what was then renamed Desert Regional Medical Center. Tenet Health has leased the hospital as its manager and operator since then.

Leasing the property to Tenet allowed the District to redefine itself as a grantmaking agency whose mission is to achieve optimal health at all stages of life for all District residents. In November 2018, Coachella Valley voters approved expanding the District boundary east of Cook Street, increasing its coverage area to more than 400,000 residents and encompassing the entire valley.

The District and Foundation, together, are one of the largest funders in the valley. More than $105 million have been awarded locally, primarily through grants, during the past three decades. These funds are used to assist residents — especially the underserved — in accessing vitally needed resources, such as primary and behavioral healthcare. Learn more at dhcd.org.