On a sunny Friday in May, Health Center staff, local leaders, community partners, and residents of the Cully neighborhood in Portland gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Fernhill Health Center. This new Community Health Center is located at Portland Community College’s (PCC) Opportunity Center at 42nd Ave., a vibrant hub in Northeast Portland’s Cully neighborhood designed to uplift the community.
Actually, this Health Center isn't entirely new: It's an expanded and relocated version of La Clínica de Buena Salud, a beloved clinic that provided primary care services to the neighborhood for 26 years just a mile and a half away. The Fernhill Health Center, which welcomed its first patients on May 20, now offers expanded primary care services, along with much-needed dental and pharmacy services, directly to the community, fostering a deeper sense of connection and care.
And in a much needed boost to local healthcare employment, a Multnomah County partnership with Portland Community College will offer workforce development opportunities through on-site education and on-the-job training.
“This Health Center demonstrates how partnerships lead to success and benefit the community,” said Community Health Center Interim Executive Director Anirudh Padmala. “This space is more than a clinic; it will be a cornerstone for the work we do with the community for generations to come.”
“When your lived experience meets opportunity and collective action, we don’t just open doors — we build new ones,” said Community Health Center Board Chair Tamia Deary. “When lived experience meets opportunity and collective action, we become the architects of our own care. When lived experience meets opportunity and collective action, we protect our communities — not with permission, but with purpose.”
"This expansion could not be better timed — three years in the making, we know how far Fernhill Health Center will go toward making this community, right here in the heart of Cully, stronger, healthier and more resilient," said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.
The PCC’s Opportunity Center on 42nd Avenue is truly a hub for growth. Beyond the Health Center, it offers career exploration and job training classes, assistance with business development, and support for individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
“The reason I chose my career as pharmacy technician is because working in the pharmacy I am able to help people manage their healthcare needs and make a difference in peoples’ lives daily,” said Zoe Wu, a pharmacy clerk at the Mid County Health Center who joined the PCC Pharmacy Workforce Development program with no experience.
Caro Sarmiento, a pharmacy clerk at the East County Health Center, shared about how PCC’s program stripped away barriers they faced while seeking out a higher education.
“When I applied to be a pharmacy clerk with Multnomah County and was hired, I started out with no experience or knowledge of working in the pharmacy,” they said. “At the beginning, I truly felt like I had made a big mistake.
“Well, a year and half later, I am here now, armed with knowledge and my Pharmacy Technician license, preparing to take my exam. So many doors have opened up for me. Being a part of this program has given me tools to not only succeed, but thrive in the pharmacy field.”
Looking ahead, the campus will expand further. Next fall, an 84-unit affordable housing complex — a collaborative effort between Portland Community College and Home Forward, Portland’s housing authority — is set to open right next to the Health Center and PCC’s Opportunity Center. Even more, the Native American Youth and Family Center will provide on-site childcare.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony for both the Opportunity Center and the Fernhill Health Center, the celebration continued with a captivating live dance performance by Ballet Folklorico. Local leaders were invited for a behind-the-scenes tour of the clinic showcasing the new facilities, including the dental operatories and exam rooms. An open house followed, featuring Somali henna artists, a photo booth, engaging activities for families, and insurance enrollment for the Oregon Health Plan, cementing the Fernhill Health Center as a true community cornerstone.
