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» A magazine for and about Oregon Community Hospitals.
Health providers invest $21.5 million for innovative housing and medical services
Five major hospitals and a nonprofit health care plan in
Portland invested $21.5 million in a unique partnership
with Central City Concern to respond to the city’s urgent
challenges in affordable housing, homelessness and
health care.
“This project reflects what we’ve known for a long time—
health begins where we live, learn, work and play,” said
Governor Kate Brown. “Stable, affordable housing and
health care access are so often intertwined, and I’m gratified
to see collaborative solutions coming from some of our
state’s leading organizations. I applaud the efforts of all
those involved and am grateful for the partnership in
moving Oregon forward and making ours a home where
each Oregonian thrives.”
The contributions—from Adventist Health, Kaiser
Permanente Northwest, Oregon Health and Science
University, Legacy Health, Providence Health & Services
Oregon, and CareOregon—will support 382 new housing
units at three locations, including one with an integrated
health center in Southeast Portland.
The Eastside Health Center will serve medically fragile
people and people in recovery from addictions and mental
illness with a first-floor clinic and housing for 176 people.
The center will also become the new home for an existing
Central City Concern program, Eastside Concern, and will
offer 24-hour medical staffing.
The Stark Street Apartments in East Portland will provide
155 units of workforce housing; and the Interstate
Apartments in North Portland will provide 51 units
designed for families.
“Health and home go hand-in-hand,” said Nan Roman,
President & CEO of the National Alliance to End
Homelessness. “This is a breakthrough collaboration with
the health care community and a partnership that has
the potential to change the landscape of how we can end
homelessness in this country.”
Here is what health care leaders had to say about
the project:
“It’s a privilege to live our mission focused on improving the
health of our community. Adventist Health’s long history
of preventive care and wellness compels us to align our
services with the changing needs of the community. We
are proud to support safe, affordable housing for residents
of East Portland through this collaborative effort.” – David
Russell, President and CEO Adventist Health Portland
“We see this unique housing partnership as supportive of
both mental and physical health at a time when people are
most in need. We know that health is more than medical
care. And we need to eliminate barriers to health for the
most vulnerable members of our community.” – Andrew
McCulloch, President Kaiser Permanente Northwest
“Part of Legacy Health’s mission is good health for our
community. As an individual and as a leader at Legacy
Health, I believe that adequate housing is a component of
good health for our community. Legacy needs to make this
investment if we truly want to fulfil our mission. I’m proud
to work with Central City Concern and my health care
colleagues to make a contribution to a housing project
that will truly make a difference within our community
and our world.” – George J. Brown, M.D. President & CEO
Legacy Health
“OHSU is proud to join with other local health systems in
support of Central City Concern’s Eastside Health Center.
We recognize that good health requires more than good
health care. We understand the value of transitional housing
as a key component of improving health for vulnerable
populations. No one meets those needs better than Central
City Concern.” – Joe Robertson, MD, MBA President OHSU
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SPECIAL SECTION: A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY