Press Release

Today, Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) announced that his guest to President Biden’s State of the Union address next Thursday, March 7th will be his constituent, Dr. Jonathan Porteus.

Dr. Porteus is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the CEO of WellSpace Health, a non-profit community health center providing quality medical care, dental care for children and adolescents, mental and behavioral health services to historically underserved individuals in the Sacramento region. According to the Point in Time survey, Sacramento saw a 67 percent increase in the unsheltered homeless population from 2019 to 2022. Under Dr. Porteus’ leadership, WellSpace Health has been able to provide care to more than 6,000 people experiencing homelessness over the last year and continues to find innovative ways to address the unique issues facing the region. Dr. Porteus and Congressman Bera have long collaborated and will continue to work on innovative approaches to health care for vulnerable communities, such as individuals with co-occurring behavioral health needs. 

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Jonathan Porteus as my guest for the upcoming State of the Union address,” said Representative Ami Bera. “As CEO of WellSpace Health, Dr. Porteus and his team provide personalized, quality services to individuals experiencing homelessness and helping those with serious mental health and substance use conditions get back on their feet. I am proud to support Federally Qualified Health Centers like WellSpace in their mission to address these interconnected crises.”

"It's an honor to join Congressman Bera for the State of the Union and a wonderful tribute to community health providers who have dedicated their life's work to the underserved," said Dr. Porteus. "When we join together as a force for good, we have the opportunity to address seemingly intractable challenges impacting local neighborhoods such as the behavioral health crisis compounding our crisis of homelessness."

To schedule an interview with Representative Bera and Dr. Porteus, please contact Louie Kahn, Acting Press Secretary, at louie.kahn@mail.house.gov.