Multnomah County is honoring National Health Center Week Wednesday, Aug. 7, with food, stories, art and an open house at the Gladys McCoy Health Department Headquarters.
The county’s Community Health Center delivers medical, dental, and pharmacy services to about 64,000 residents at seven primary care centers, the HIV health services center, and eight Student Health Centers. The division's 615 employees serve clients who speak more than 100 languages. Ninety percent of clients earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty limit.
Director of Integrated Clinical Services Vanetta Abdellatif encourages neighbors and members of the public to join clinic staff in building a strong community.
“It is always a pleasure to celebrate community health center contributions to our communities' health,” she said. “I am very proud of the work we're doing to partner with clients to support their good health."
Guests at the celebration will have the opportunity to tour the HIV Health Services Center, which serves people living with HIV with comprehensive medical treatment, nursing care, social services and community connections. Visitors can also join in a large-scale collage project with art therapists who lead the clinic’s art therapy group.
Visitors can sample tamales from Cha Cha Cha Taqueria, sambusas from Horn of Africa, and pirozhkis from Chef Inga Overseas Cuisine. A running slideshow will feature health center history and great photos from clinic programs.
The event will open with remarks by Abdellatif and Sharon Turner, who oversees the northwest region for the federal Health Resources & Services Administration, which supports Multnomah County’s primary care centers.
Clinic patients will share their stories, and Community Health Council leadership will recognize elected officials for their dedication to community health.
WHAT: National Health Center Week Celebration
WHEN: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Gladys McCoy Health Department Headquarters, 619 NW 6th Ave, Portland
