This year, Natividad is proud to celebrate 140 years of serving its mission and helping people in Monterey County. Since the county leaders built Natividad in January 1886, we have grown into a leading health care system.

Over the years, our hospital has grown and improved. Now, Natividad is the trauma center for the Central Coast, providing lifesaving care close to home. We’ve added special areas and new programs to address the changing health needs of our diverse communities.

Today, Natividad stands as a cornerstone of high-quality, accessible health care. Each year, we care for about 60,000 patients in our emergency room alone. We’re supported by nearly 1,700 dedicated employees and over 400 physicians and medical staff.

“As we celebrate this special year, we thank the many patients, caregivers and community members who made Natividad what it is today,” Natividad CEO Dr. Chad Harris said. “We are excited to keep caring for our community for years to come.”

Natividad’s Special & Unique Services

• Level II Trauma Center
  We provide expert, lifesaving care and support for the critically and severely injured, close to home.
• Sam Karas Acute Rehabilitation Center
  Our center helps patients recovering from illness or injury reach their goals and have the skills they need to get home and get back to living life to its fullest.
• Advanced Perinatal Care
  Every year, about 2,200 babies take their first breath at Natividad, while advanced Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care is available to babies born at Natividad and other hospitals.
• Nora Dowd Mental Health Unit
  We offer 24-hour acute mental health care in a safe and structured environment.
• Interpreter Services
  Indigenous language interpreters help patients and their families communicate in Triqui, Chatino, Zapoteco and three variants of Mixteco, in addition to many other languages available.
• Teaching Hospital
  Education programs train health professionals and students across a variety of disciplines every year, including our UCSF-affiliated Family Medicine Residency program.

“While Natividad has seen countless changes over the years, our mission remains unchanged: to improve the health of the people in Monterey County.”

– Natividad CEO Dr. Chad Harris

History

• The first public hospital in California, a precursor to Natividad, was established in 1844 on the outskirts of Monterey under contract with the Mexican government. California became a state in 1850.
• The County of Monterey Board of Supervisors acquired a 62.9-acre parcel at $75/acre from Eugene Sherwood and completed Natividad Medical Center, a 69-bed hospital, in January 1886.
• Natividad Medical Foundation was founded in 1988 to enhance and support the hospital’s operations and programs.
• The current facility opened in 1998, and Natividad now has 172 beds.
• In 2015, Natividad became the Central Coast’s Level II Trauma Center, offering 24/7 care from expert trauma-specialized surgeons, nurses and support staff, treating about 1,400 trauma patients per year.
• Natividad is one of California’s 17 public health care systems, including county-owned or affiliated systems and the five University of California academic medical centers.
• Today, Natividad is Monterey County’s essential safety net hospital. All are welcome here.