Grant refresh keeps free mammograms available for Humboldt women

Money should not be the reason a Humboldt County woman skips a mammogram. A new $20,000 grant to Humboldt Trinity HealthCare, paired with Mad River Community Hospital, will keep free and low-cost breast screening available through Dec. 31, 2026, after the program helped more than 200 local women get mammograms and follow-up imaging they otherwise could not have afforded.

The program covers screening mammograms, diagnostic mammograms and breast ultrasounds for Humboldt County women who are uninsured or underinsured and meet income eligibility guidelines. Mad River Community Hospital says the services are first-come, first-served and use advanced 3D mammography technology. Women who think they may qualify can call the Imaging Department at 707-826-8266 to schedule.

Steve Engle, vice-chair of Humboldt Trinity HealthCare, said the point is to keep health care from competing with basic needs. In a low-income county, he said, women may have to choose between feeding their kids lunch, buying gas or getting a mammogram. “No woman is turned away,” Engle said. The local safety net matters because delayed screening can mean a problem is found only after it has grown harder and more expensive to treat.

That concern lines up with national screening guidance. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends breast cancer screening every other year starting at age 40 through age 74, which puts the Humboldt program squarely in the range of routine preventive care for many women. Humboldt County Public Health and Live Well Humboldt track breast cancer locally, and Live Well Humboldt lists the county’s incidence at 116 cases per 100,000 females, compared with 124.0 in California and 129.8 in the United States.

The grant also keeps the county connected to a larger access network. National Breast Cancer Foundation lists Humboldt Trinity HealthCare in Arcata as a California partner facility, and Humboldt Trinity says it is partnering with Mad River Community Hospital to fund screening and follow-up imaging for uninsured and underinsured women in Humboldt County. For women facing rent, groceries, gas and other bills, the renewal means one less barrier to a test that can catch cancer early, or provide the peace of mind of a normal result.