Supporting community connection, partner well-being

With the return in April 2024 of our first post-pandemic Spring Conference, we built on our tradition of strengthening local connections and creating opportunities for our partners to grow personally and professionally.

The two-day event kicked off with deep-dive trainings, including sessions on motivational interviewing and primary care transformation. The keynote focused on managing provider stress and burnout. About 200 people attended each day.

“There was both an honoring of the beautiful work our community has been doing and an invitation to think creatively about how we can address the challenges we face,” said Beth Jaffee-Stafford, The Family Nurturing Center’s Clinical Director.

A blueprint for collective action on community health

Jackson Care Connect, AllCare Health and the public health departments for Jackson and Josephine counties proudly completed a new five-year Community Health Improvement Plan in 2024.

Rooted in the idea that creating meaningful change involves collective action, the plan is based on the findings of an in-depth, community-led assessment to better understand the needs and daily challenges of local residents. Highlights included “data walks,” opportunities for community members to learn about data collected on key issues and share their opinions. The plan’s priorities—access to health care, behavioral health, community building and housing—will guide our work and investment decisions through 2029, building on the progress we’ve made in these areas.

Narrowing the mental health divide

Rural Americans have significantly less access to behavioral health care (both mental health and substance use disorder treatment) than people living in big cities, even though the mental health challenges are similar. In Jackson County, we’ve reinvested in our communities to close this gap, improving quality and capacity.

In our region, per-capita capacity in many critical areas—from adult foster homes to residential facilities for substance use disorder treatment—roughly meets or exceeds the level of care available in the Portland metro/North Coast region, according to a recent study commissioned by the state. Our network investments have helped drive a more than 50% increase in members’ use of behavioral health services since 2019.

Tackling Jackson County’s housing crisis

The latest Community Health Assessment for Jackson and Josephine counties confirmed what we’ve known for some time: the unmet housing needs in our communities are acute and make it difficult for many to live their healthiest lives.

Over the years, we’ve stepped up our efforts to address the full spectrum of housing needs, from emergency shelter to workforce housing. In 2024 alone, we committed to more than $1.7 million in housing-related investments in Jackson County. Our largest planned investment ($680,000) represents more than half the estimated cost of an OnTrack Rogue Valley project to convert a motel (pictured left) into emergency housing for people who are unhoused and awaiting detox or residential substance use disorder treatment.

Strengthening Southern Oregon’s provider workforce

Provider recruitment and retention are a major challenge in many areas, Southern Oregon included. As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our network strong, we joined with the Southern Oregon Alliance of Physician Partners to form a new medical society in 2024.

The Southern Oregon Medical Society offers monthly trainings by local experts that allow providers to earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits and strengthen personal and professional connections. Turnout has been strong, with as many as 80 providers at a time attending sessions on opioid use disorder, obesity and other pressing issues.

Investing in the next generation of providers

In partnership with the Ashland Community Health Foundation, we kicked off a multiyear effort in 2024 to invest in the next generation of mental health care providers and ultimately strengthen access in the Rogue Valley.

The partnership is backed by a $1 million grant from CareOregon to the foundation. The grant will fund scholarships, internships, continuing education and faculty development.

This support will add a full-time, tenure-track faculty position to Southern Oregon University’s mental health counseling program. It will also fund paid internships for counseling students at select agencies serving Oregon Health Plan members, among other planned investments.