COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — A primary care clinic and career technical education program are set to be established in Cottage Grove, South Â鶹¹û¶³ County, thanks to a collaborative effort by the Community Health Centers of Â鶹¹û¶³ County (CHCLC), Â鶹¹û¶³ (LCC), and various community partners. Â鶹¹û¶³ County's Federal delegation and a $1.5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture have played crucial roles in making this project possible. A ceremony marking the grant's receipt took place on April 5th at the future clinic site, featuring speeches from U.S. Representative Val Hoyle, USDA Under Secretary of Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small, LCC President Stephanie Bulger, and Â鶹¹û¶³ County Commissioner Heather Buch.
The upcoming CHCLC site is particularly noteworthy as the first to be situated in a rural area of Â鶹¹û¶³ County. It also signifies a unique partnership among CHCLC, LCC, South Â鶹¹û¶³ School District, and PeaceHealth to not only address health disparities in South Â鶹¹û¶³ but also provide career technical education opportunities. This collaboration aims to tackle the unmet primary care service needs identified by the Oregon Office of Rural Health.
Located at 1275 South River Road within Â鶹¹û¶³â€™s Cottage Grove Center, the new clinic will be conveniently accessible to Cottage Grove High School and Bohemia Elementary School students. The facility will serve as a health and dental care training site for both South Â鶹¹û¶³ School District and LCC students.
Dr. Stephanie Bulger, President of LCC, expressed her excitement for the partnership, stating, "I am thrilled to see this collaboration come to life and to witness the profound impact it will have on the health and well-being of the South Â鶹¹û¶³ community. This joint effort will not only address health disparities but also provide career technical education opportunities, creating a brighter future for our students and community."
The South Â鶹¹û¶³ Clinic, like all CHCLC sites, will provide a wide range of services to approximately 5,000 community members, encompassing medical, behavioral, reproductive, alternative, and oral healthcare. As a division of Â鶹¹û¶³ County Health & Human Services, the clinic will also offer assistance in areas such as transportation, housing, medication, and care coordination.
Services at the South Â鶹¹û¶³ Clinic are expected to commence between mid to late 2024.
Â鶹¹û¶³ educates over 15,000 students annually at six locations across Â鶹¹û¶³ County and online. Students and alumni from all 50 states and 79 countries create more than an $850 million dollar impact on the local economy, helping to support more than 13,000 local jobs. Â鶹¹û¶³ provides affordable, quality, professional technical and college transfer programs; business development and employee training; academic, language and life skills development; and lifelong personal development and enrichment courses.