Bringing Care and Oregon together since 1994

Over the years, our commitment to innovation has driven us to work closely with community-based organizations on projects that best support our members and address critical gaps to ensure we make health care work for absolutely everyone. One such project is the Traditional Health Workers Grant program.

CareOregon has worked closely with eight community-based nonprofits in the Metro region through the Traditional Health Workers Grant Program, investing $800,000 to develop a more sustainable way to pay Traditional Health Workers that helps support and grow their workforce.

Traditional Health Workers play a crucial role in health care, especially in the area of social health, by bridging the community and the health system. THWs provide person-centered care and are often from the communities they serve. They can speak the language, interact in the culture and encourage people to become advocates in their care.

As a result, they can reach individuals and families who have been historically underserved and have difficulty accessing and navigating the health care system. Participating organizations include Asian Health & Service Center, Doulas Latinas, Familias en Acción, IRCO, NAYA, Our Just Future, Parrot Creek and Straightway Services. Watch the video above to learn more about how this program benefits our community.