North Portland Health Center renovation moves forward

May 6, 2016

Vanetta Abdellatif, director of the county’s Integrated Clinical Services
Vanetta Abdellatif, director of the county’s Integrated Clinical Services addresses the board on Thursday.

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners Thursday approved preliminary plans to renovate the North Portland Health Center. The plan has also been approved by the Community Health Council, the board of patients who jointly govern the county’s community health clinics.

The project, funded through a $935,000 grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, will expand primary care and pharmacy services to an additional 2,400 patients in North and Northeast Portland.

The Affordable Care Act has led to an increased demand for clinical services across the county, Vanetta Abdellatif, director of the county’s Integrated Clinical Services, told commissioners during Thursday’s briefing. The North Portland Health Center currently serves more than 4,000 clients.

The plan calls for eight additional exam rooms and two additional offices for providers, allowing for a fourth primary care team. The federal funding will also cover moving the pharmacy into a larger and more secure space, adding a designated waiting room, and improving security and privacy.

Multnomah County North Portland Health Center

Construction would begin in the summer of 2017 and is expected to take less than six months.

The Health Department is seeking an additional $1.8 million from the county’s general fund to further expand services to include a dental clinic, upgrades to the building’s exterior, parking, entryways and lobbies.

The board will vote on the 2017 budget during its regular meeting on May 26.