National City residents now have access to a wide range of healthcare services in one location with the opening of the Macias Family Health Center, operated by nonprofit San Ysidro Health. The two-story, 44,000-square-foot facility at 601 E. 14th St. replaces two smaller nearby clinics and is expected to manage roughly twice as many patients.
Construction took about three years and faced delays due to groundwater issues and late-stage regulatory changes. Funding came primarily from a federal New Markets Tax Credits loan, with additional support from the Macias family and San Ysidro Health.
The first-floor houses San Diego PACE, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, which coordinates medical, dental, and behavioral health care for older adults. Services also include occupational and physical therapy, meals, senior activities, pharmacy, transportation, and social services.
The second floor operates as a Federally Qualified Health Center, providing primary medical and dental care along with expanded behavioral health services for individuals and families.
“The Macias Family Health Center is a 44,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, two-story facility designed to integrate care across the lifespan. The first floor houses San Diego PACE, serving up to 800 seniors with medical, dental, behavioral health, therapy services, meals, pharmacy, transportation, and social services. The second floor operates as a Federally Qualified Health Center, offering primary care, dental services, and expanded behavioral health for individuals and families,” said Kevin Mattson, president and CEO of San Ysidro Health.
“The vision behind the Macias Family Health Center was to respond to the growing and evolving needs of National City—especially as our population ages—while continuing to serve families across generations. By bringing comprehensive, coordinated care into the heart of the community, we are expanding access to high-quality, compassionate services close to home and ensuring no one is turned away because of their ability to pay,” Mattson said.
“Health disparities often worsen as people age, particularly when chronic conditions go unmanaged. This center reflects our commitment to innovation by delivering coordinated, high-quality care—medical, dental, behavioral health, and senior services—under one roof. By improving access and continuity, we help families and older adults maintain health, dignity, and quality of life,” he said.
“What sets this center apart is its focus on seamless, patient-centered care. Integrating primary care, dental, behavioral health, and senior services under one roof improves coordination—especially important for older adults managing multiple chronic conditions. In addition, this center includes new services to our patients, including pharmacy and X-ray, which historically had been sent out. The facility also includes a three-story mechanical underground parking structure, making visits easier and more accessible for patients, caregivers, and staff,” Mattson said
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The center began seeing patients on Dec. 22 and handled hundreds of visits in its first weeks of operation.
“This new center significantly expands capacity, allowing us to serve approximately 20,000 community members annually and generate more than 61,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits. It also improves access to San Diego PACE, reducing wait times and ensuring more seniors can receive comprehensive, all-inclusive care that supports aging safely and independently,” Mattson said.
“Local partnerships are essential because housing, transportation, and community connection are critical social determinants of health. The Macias Family Health Center is part of the Kimball Highland Master Plan, an intentionally designed, intergenerational neighborhood that co-locates affordable family and senior housing with healthcare and community services. Our partnership with Community HousingWorks, which develops and manages these affordable family and senior apartments and homes, allows us to reduce barriers, improve access, and support healthier outcomes for residents,” he added.
The clinic is named for philanthropist Ben Macias, a National City native whose family made the largest individual donation in San Ysidro Health’s 56-year history.
“The Macias Family Health Center was made possible through a transformative gift from the Macias family—the largest individual donation in San Ysidro Health’s 56-year history. Ben Macias, a National City native, understands the importance of investing in his community’s future. His generosity represents a long-term commitment to ensuring families and seniors have access to world-class care when and where they need it most,” Mattson said.
“I am doing this because I want to. Because a healthy community raises healthy children, and healthy children are prosperous children. How can I not do that? There has never been more of a need for your philanthropy to invest back in the community. I am the first and the largest, but I hope that in the years to come, I am the smallest. I hope that there are people who come in, and it does not have to be one individual. It can be a group of friends who want to give back to the community. And I cannot think of a better organization to do it than with San Ysidro Health,” Macias said.
“As the senior population continues to grow, our focus over the next five years is on expanding services that help people age with dignity while managing chronic conditions effectively. That includes strengthening PACE, enhancing behavioral health, and deepening community outreach so this center remains a trusted place for care across generations,” Mattson said.
