Savie Health, a free medical clinic in Lompoc for people who are uninsured, gas added two new members to its Board of Directors.
Yasmin Dawson, a community organizer, and Michael Dixon, a licensed clinical social worker, will join Savie Health’s seven-member board, which provides guidance and oversight of the clinic’s operations and finances, as required under its nonprofit status.
Dawson is co-founder and president of Collective Cultures Creating Change (C4), a coalition that works to unify and connect Lompoc community members by working with leaders and individuals committed to equity and peace.
She is a recipient of the Valley of the Flowers Peace Prize for her role as organizer of the March for Marlon in 2019 in honor of Marlon Brumfield, a U.S. Army soldier shot and killed while visiting home in Lompoc.
Dawson is also president of the Islamic Center of Lompoc and a member of the Santa Maria/Lompoc Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the local Democratic Club.
An advocate for health equity, Dawson participated as a community member in a course for graduate students aimed at addressing health disparities in Santa Barbara County, offered by UCSB and the NAACP.
She received the Santa Barbara County Action Network’s North County Looking Forward award in 2021, and previously served as a volunteer for the North County Rape Crisis Center.
Dixon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and manager of the Behavioral Health Program at Lompoc Health — North H Center. He previously worked in Lompoc Valley Medical Center’s Case Management Department, assisting with discharge planning, care coordination, therapeutic intervention, and staff education on mental health.
Dixon has extensive experience helping patients in crisis, having worked on the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness’ crisis team from 2014-21.
With more than two decades of experience in the behavioral health field, Dixon has worked with a wide variety of populations, including children, teens, adults with severe mental illness, people with substance abuse disorder, and oncology patients.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oswego State University in New York, and a master of social work from the University at Albany.
Savie Health, at 1111 E. Ocean Ave. Ste. 2, Lompoc, provides free medical, behavioral health, dental and vision care to uninsured adults in Santa Barbara County.
Services include primary medical care, women’s health care, chronic disease management for diabetes and hypertension, flu and strep tests, children’s health screenings, x-rays, mental health and counseling services, and referrals to community resources.
To make an appointment, call 805-743-4776. For more about Savie Health’s services or to volunteer or donate, visit saviehealth.org.