HEALTH: Health and Wellness Vision Council

Programs funded by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette that focus on health and wellness include initiatives that improve services in mental health and addictions, as well as programs that ensure safety of working people.

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT GRANTS

Three-year grants ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 each year.

Asian Health & Service Center                Asian Wellness Connection

 

Collaborating Partners:		OHSU-Richmond Clinic, Rosewood Family Health Center, PSU Center for Health and Social Inequality Research
Target Population:		Low income Asian adults and seniors
Counties:		Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas

                        
Improves the quality of health care and health outcomes for Asians by combining the strengths of a culturally specific community based organization, community health clinics and a research institution. Building on the integrated medical home model, program elements include bilingual/bicultural Community Health Workers, coordinated care system between the nonprofit and the clinics, cultural competence training for providers, interpretation of health information, and health education workshops.

 

Clackamas Women’s Services                 Beyond Shelter Housing Initiative

 

Collaborating Partners:		NW Housing Alternatives, Clackamas County Social Services
Target Population:		Domestic violence surviors, homeless
Counties:		Clackamas

Implements a Housing First response to homelessness in Clackamas County through a
collaboration of non-profit, government and faith-based organizations.  Provides advocacy support and direct assistance to retain or acquire permanent housing and a range of home-based support services, including mental health and addictions counseling.

Janus Youth Programs                                Village Gardens

 

Collaborating Partners:		Multnomah Co Health Dept; Oregon Action; Housing Authority of Portland; Metro; City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability; Coalition for a Livable Future; Community Health Partnerships; Portland Farmer's Market; New Seasons Market; Portland Nursery; OSU Extension Services
Target Population:		Low income youth and adults living in public housing
Counties:		Multnomah

               
Through a collaboration involving public housing residents, social services and businesses, this project improves financial stability, promotes nutrition, increases community involvement and neighborhood safety, and trains Community Health Workers who provide health workshops and connect residents to health services.

Native American Rehabilitation             Discovering our Story Project Association (NARA)

Collaborating Partners:		Wisdom of the Elders, Lewis and Clark College Indigenous Ways of Knowing Program, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Northwest Indian Storytellers (NISA), National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), Westview High School, Roger Burt -Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant
Target Population:		Native American youth and adults
Counties:		Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Clark

           
Utilizes audio/video oral history collection and tribal storytelling to create culturally specific and relevant multi-media health curricula for Native American rehabilitation and prevention programs. Each curriculum will address a specific health topic, and the overarching goal is that individuals improve their physical and mental health, overcome cycles of addiction and family violence, and find meaningful career paths.

Oregon Law Center                            Project Against Workplace Sexual Assault

 

Collaborating Partners:		Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United (PCUN); Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center
Target Population:		Low income indigenous farm workers
Counties:		Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas

            
Establishes a partnership of farm worker communities, advocates and health care providers to address workplace sexual assault and sexual harassment among indigenous Mexican and Central American farm workers. Community Educators, patient advocates and indigenous language health care interpreters will connect farm workers to health services and health education.

Outside In                                                 Neighborhood Sparks: Transformation

 

Collaborating Partners:		Human Solutions; Portland Women's Crisis Line; Clackamas Service Center; Housing Authority of Clackamas County; Milwaukie High School; New Urban High School; Overland Park Coalition
Target Population:		Low income, homeless, uninsured youth and adults
Counties:		Multnomah, Clackamas

Mobile medical van provides outreach, mental health and medical services, and addictions counseling, in conjunction with case management and support services in North Clackamas.  This collaboration will 1) create a permanent community health clinic in a redeveloped Clackamas Service Center which will feature social services, a community center, shelter and mixed-income housing; and 2) establish a permanent school-based health clinic at Milwaukie High School.

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center                          MILPA II

 

Collaborating Partners:		Lifeworks NW
Target Population:		Low income and uninsured, 60% Latino
Counties:		Washington

 

Co-locates and fully integrates behavioral health into two primary care clinics to increase the utilization of mental health and addictions services and promote healthy living. On-site behavioral health care providers, access to a psychiatrist to assist with managing medications and Community Health Workers who connect patients to additional resources and provide health education.

 

 

Youth Contact                                              Family Justice Initiative (FJI)

 

Collaborating Partners:		Voices Set Free; Washington Co Community Corrections; Children's Justice Alliance; Washington Co Cooperative Library Services; PSU Center for the Improvement of Child and Family Services; PSU School of Social Work; Pacific University; OR DHS
Target Population:		Youth and their families who are involved in the criminal justice system
Counties:		Washington

                        
A collaboration of providers delivers co-located services, mental health assessment and counseling, crisis-intervention, parenting classes, peer-to-peer mentoring, and access to other health and support services for youth whose families are involved in the criminal justice system.

 

PROJECT INNOVATION GRANTS

One-time grants ranging from $20,000 to $40,000

Canby School District                            Canby's Dental Health Program for                                                                  Children and Youth

 

Collaborating Partners:		Canby Center, Canby Chapter of Stand for Children
Target Population:		Low income elementary school students
Counties:		Clackamas

Pilots a program to improve children’s dental health in Canby, modeled after a successful Salem-Keizer program. Creates a coordinated, volunteer supported comprehensive dental program--both prevention and urgent care--at two elementary schools with the highest incidence of poverty, with the ultimate goal to expand to all schools.

 

Cascade AIDS Project                             Survey of Portland's Street Youth

 

Collaborating Partners:		Outside In, OHSU
Target Population:		Homeless youth (18-25)
Counties:		Multnomah

Initiates a study of homeless youth (18-25) in Portland to assess prevalence, current knowledge, and risk-taking behaviors associated with HIV. Research will be shared publicly to guide future resource allocation and aid in designing effective programs. Includes educational intervention and HIV testing.

Coalition of Community Health Clinics

Committing to Quality Health Care with Technology Solutions

 

Collaborating Partners:		Oregon Community Health Information Network (OCHIN)
Counties:		Clackamas, Multnomah

                         
This technology project increases the capacity of the safety net by improving efficiencies within the clinic systems and decreasing unnecessary utilization by patients seeking duplicative care from multiple clinics or for unmanaged chronic disease. This project will 1) develop a shared set of clinical guidelines based on best practices and collect a shared set of health indicators for diabetes and hypertension management across all 13 Coalition clinics; 2) develop a coordinated Health Information Technology plan; and 3) track patient mobility across the clinics to address duplication of services. 

Volunteers of America Oregon                Transition Bridge Project

 

Collaborating Partners:		City of Portland, Central City Concern, Portland Police Bureau
Target Population:		Chronically homeless men in addictions recovery
Counties:		Multnomah

                 
Pilots a new Transition Bridge Counselor and peer mentor program to support chronically homeless men to successfully transition from dependency to recovery, increase independence and reduce recidivism.

revised August 2009