4 VALLEY CLINICS, HIGH DESERT HOSPITAL ON HIT LIST.

Byline: Troy Anderson and Karen Maeshiro Staff Writers

Four San Fernando Valley health clinics would be closed and Antelope Valley's High Desert Hospital would be converted to an outpatient center under a plan to be formally released today to cut Los Angeles County health spending.

The plan is the least drastic of three proposals outlined in the Daily News last month as the county cuts costs by scaling back health services to the county's 10 million residents.

The more drastic options would close High Desert and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance and close nearly 100 private outpatient clinics; or convert Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar and Harbor to outpatient facilities and close dozens of clinics.

The plan to be recommended today by county health officials calls for the closure of clinics in San Fernando and Tujunga and school-based clinics at John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills and Vaughn Learning Center in Pacoima. In total, the plan calls for the closure of 11 health clinics throughout the county and the closure of all school-based clinics.

``The department feels that these steps are needed to balance its budget,'' Department of Health Services spokesman John Wallace said. ``They are painful choices, but in balancing our system, they are the most reasonable cuts to recommend at this time.''

The supervisors will meet June 26 to decide whether to adopt the recommendation.

The cuts, the largest since a similar crisis in 1995, are the first steps county officials are taking to close a projected deficit of $800 million by 2005-06. But the cuts could be far more severe if county officials are unable to convince state and federal officials to give the county more money by October.

The move was decried by local Antelope Valley leaders, who say the Antelope Valley cannot afford to lose more hospital beds. This is the third time in seven years county officials have threatened High Desert with closure or cutbacks.

``It would be absolutely devastating for that hospital to go to nothing. ... We will be fighting for that hospital to stay open,'' Lancaster Vice Mayor Henry Hearns said.

Hearns noted that the Antelope Valley in the early 1990s had a population of about 200,000 and five hospitals.

Two hospitals - Desert Palms Community Hospital in Palmdale and a small hospital at Edwards Air Force Base - have since closed, and now the valley's population is well over 300,000.

``We now have three hospitals, and they want to take one of those? The answer is, absolutely no,'' Hearns said.

If the plan is approved, conversion of the hospital would start in May 2003.

IF YOU GO

--A hearing on the proposed cuts will be held at 9:30 a.m. June 26 at the Hall of Administration, 500 W. Temple St., Los Angeles.

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IF YOU GO (see text)