Programs

Oregon Community Health Programs

Providence offers a range of community-serving programs aimed at supporting low-income individuals through education, resource navigation, and direct services. Strong partnerships with community-based organizations allow Providence to bridge gaps in healthcare access within our shared communities. 

Promotores de Salud (Parish-based Community Health Promoters) 

The mission of the Promotores de Salud program is to enhance health for low-income Spanish-speaking communities through education, advocacy, and access to healthcare and social services.  

Parish-based health promoters are bilingual and bicultural community volunteers, trained by Providence as Oregon Community Health Workers (CHWs). In 2024, 18 community members received CHW training. These health ambassadors promote educational resources and connect their communities to local health and social services. Annually, these CHWs support approximately 2,500 encounters at health screening events, as well as dental, vision, and vaccine clinics. The program works in partnership with 15 parishes and community-based organizations, located in Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill counties.

Community Resource Desk 

Established in 2015, the Community Resource Desk (CRD) assists individuals and families in accessing local resources by navigating the social safety net system. Located at Providence facilities, the program is open to everyone in the community, allowing individuals to either self-identify their needs or be referred by Providence providers. CRDs bring staff from community-based organizations into Providence locations to create a single point of service for people with health-related social needs. The desks are staffed by bilingual and bicultural Resource Specialists who act as navigators, educators, and advocates, linking clients to community resources.

The CRD program started as a demonstration project in one urban setting and grew to serving five Oregon counties across urban, suburban, and rural communities. The program supports underserved and underrepresented communities by offering resource navigation to address health-related social needs. From 2015 to 2024, the program assisted over 43,600 households, benefiting nearly 89,000 adults and children. The top needs addressed were food, housing, utility support, transportation, and clothing. In 2024, nearly 49% of those served identified as people of color, and almost 1 in 5 were non-English speakers. 

Click here for Community Resources Desk locations and contacts.

Providence Gateway Food Pantry

The Gateway Food Pantry is co-located in a Providence outpatient clinic and provides patients who screen positive for food insecurity a no-cost opportunity to shop for a three-day supply of healthy food for their household.  This program is a partnership between Providence and Nourish Oregon Food Pantry (part of the Oregon Food Bank network). Gateway Food Pantry visits are facilitated by Resource Specialists from the Community Resource Desk, who assess the patient’s food needs and provide recommendations for ongoing community food resources.

In 2024, the Gateway Food Pantry was open for 239 days, facilitating 1,306 visits resulting in the distribution of nearly 37,000 meals. This program provided over 4,000 individuals with access to nutritious food when they needed it most.

Providence/Medical Teams International - Mobile Dental Clinics

For over a decade, Providence and Medical Teams International (MTI) have partnered to provide emergency dental care to uninsured or underinsured community members, addressing critical oral health needs. Experienced active and retired dentists volunteer to offer dental services and clinic staff provide additional health screenings and referrals.

Community members can call Providence to schedule mobile clinic appointments located at Providence facilities, community organizations, and churches across Clackamas, Clatsop, Jackson, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill counties.

Providence has committed over $2M to this work. In 2024, $236K was provided to operate 119 free clinics, serving over 900 community members.

Patient Support Program 

Providence Oregon hospitals partner with Project Access NOW to facilitate safe discharges for low-income patients via the Patient Support Program (PSP). PSP addresses health-related social needs including transportation, food, medications, and temporary housing. Using a secure portal, hospital staff can request assistance for patients, quickly determine eligibility, and print vouchers to connect patients to identified services. Services are intended to be short-term, typically providing support for up to 30 days post discharge.

In 2024, 450 caregivers made over 17,000 requests to assist nearly 8,500 patients. Transportation, food, and medication assistance were the most frequently sought forms of support.

Other Activities 

Providence employees use the Unite Us technology platform to coordinate care across communities by connecting patients experiencing health-related social needs to resources including housing, transportation, utilities, food and more.

Providence Promotores de Salud partners with the Pacific University School of Dental Hygiene to provide accessible, high-quality dental care at no cost to uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Latinx community.

Providence Promotores de Salud partners with the Pacific University College of Optometry to provide eye exams and glasses at no cost to uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Latinx community.

Contact us: communitybenefit@providence.org