DAP Health has issued a strong defense against a controversial campaign mailer and a proposed statewide ballot initiative targeting the salary of its CEO, which, including bonuses, totals around $730,000 per year. The initiative, promoted by the Service Employees International Union, United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), seeks to cap executive pay at non-profit health centers at $450,000, arguing the remaining funds should be redirected to patient care and staffing.
DAP Health, through a statement from Steven Henke, countered that the SEIU-UHW measure unfairly targets community health centers and would ultimately "divert funds from patient care into bureaucracy," jeopardizing access to care for millions of Californians, including the 88,000 individuals DAP Health serves locally. The organization explicitly denied the mailer’s claim that it is threatening cuts to patient care, stating those claims are inaccurate.
In contrast to the narrative of cuts, DAP Health highlighted its plans for expansion, which include opening a fifth sexual wellness clinic in Oceanside in 2026 and developing a new women’s health clinic on its Sunrise campus, set to open in 2027. The organization emphasized that the focus should remain on ensuring community health centers are "strong, sustainable and focused on expanding care for every person who needs it." The segment concluded by expressing agreement with DAP Health's perspective.
By: NBC Palm Springs
December 12, 2025
