The Early Link Podcast - A New Health Clinic

Join us on the second and fourth Sunday of the month for new episodes of The Early Link Podcast. Listen live at 99.1 FM in the heart of Portland – or online anywhere at PRP.fm.

Check out the Portland Radio Project debut of The Early Link Podcast!

In this episode, host Rafael Otto explores what it took to open a new health clinic in Douglas County and why the community rallied together to make it happen.

Guests

Ruth Galster – President of the Umpqua Community Health Center (UCHC) Board of Directors

Mark Tsuchiya – UCHC Marketing and Development Director

Kendra Bickham – UCHC grant writer and member of the Early Works leadership team at Yoncalla Elementary

Sara Ruiz Weight – Parent leader at Early Works

Andy Boe – Superintendent for the Elkton School District

Background

North Douglas County has the largest unmet health care needs in Oregon. Umpqua Community Health Center took the lead in trying to address that need by opening a new health clinic. Notably, this was a community effort, which included Children’s Institute staff member Erin Helgren and many parents and advocates from three small cities in North Douglas County: Yoncalla, Drain, and Elkton. The new clinic is located in Drain but will serve all three communities.

Early Works is a 10 year initiative of the Children’s Institute which seeks to demonstrate a new approach to education and health development. The approach is driven by parents, educators, and partners in the community and grounded in what research has shown children and families need to thrive. The goal of Early Works is to create a seamless system that supports children in their critical years from birth through age 8, while at the same time serving as a learning laboratory to inform both practice and policy. One of the sites of the Early Works project is Yoncalla Elementary in Douglas County, which is the location of the new health clinic.

Host:

Rafael Otto, Director of Communications, Children’s Institute

~ Thanks to Children’s Institute, working to ensure that every Oregon child has the best start in life ~