Debbie has spent most of her life in Oregon, growing up in Corbett surrounded by tall evergreens and the natural spaces she loves so much. At the center of her world is her 10-year-old daughter, whom she calls her greatest gift. Everything Debbie does, every challenge she works through, is driven by the love she has for her daughter and the life she wants to build for them together.

But Debbie has struggled for years to keep stable housing. Her physical disability made it very difficult for her to keep the apartment sanitary enough to pass inspection.

She was close to an eviction when she met Angel Bean, a Traditional Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist at Our Just Future, an organization that helps families in East Portland with housing. It is one of the 12 partners in CareOregon’s Traditional Health Workers network. Through our investment in Traditional Health Workers, we help ensure members like Debbie have access to support that address both health and housing needs.

Traditional Health Workers in action

When Debbie first connected with Angel, she was struggling with depression, anxiety and the overwhelming feeling that she was falling behind in multiple areas of her life.

Debbie’s experience reflects a broader reality for many of our members. The connection between physical health, living conditions and mental health is deeply intertwined. For someone living with a disability, everyday tasks like cleaning or maintaining a home can become overwhelming or even impossible. This can lead to unsafe or unsanitary conditions and place housing at risk.

Research shows that poor housing conditions are directly linked to increased symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without support.

“I would look around my apartment and just feel stuck,” Debbie said. “I couldn’t even start. I’d think, what’s the point? I’m never going to get it done. I’m never going to get out of this. But Angel didn’t let me give up on myself. She’d say, ‘We’re just going to start here.’ And little by little, we did.”

Traditional Health Workers help members navigate the systems and services that can determine whether they stay housed, connected to care and supported in their daily lives. Angel worked with Debbie for months to understand her situation and connected her to home care services that addressed her disability, as well as housekeeping support to help maintain her home. She also set Debbie up with a doctor’s appointment and a therapist, and checked-in periodically to see what else she might need.

With this support, Debbie was able to avoid eviction, maintain her housing and get the care she needed.

“It can be hard to think about getting to a doctor’s appointment when you are still trying to meet your most basic needs,” Angel said. “And sometimes it feels like you’re facing everything on your own. At the end of the day, many of us just need someone to support us when we are having a hard time supporting ourselves.”

That support made all the difference for Debbie and her daughter. Today, they’re both in stable housing and better able to focus on building a healthier, more secure future.

“A lot of people don’t need someone to fix everything for them,” Angel said. “They just need someone to walk alongside them so they don’t have to face it alone.”

Support rooted in lived experience

Angel noted that part of what makes this work so powerful is the lived experience Traditional Health Workers bring.

Angel reflected on her own experiences navigating housing after being incarcerated nearly 23 years ago. That lived experience continues to shape how she supports members today. She understands how complicated and confusing systems of care can feel.

As the oldest of ten children and a former caregiver for her paralyzed father, she was always the person her family relied on to help navigate challenges. “In that sense,” she said, “I’ve always been a Traditional Health Worker.”

About our partnership

Our Just Future develops and operates affordable housing communities like the one Debbie and her daughter now call home. The organization also provides a Homeless Services Program that includes emergency shelter and housing assistance.

CareOregon supports Our Just Future’s Traditional Health Workers, like Angel, through partnership and funding, helping ensure they have the resources needed to support members on the ground.

In 2025, 74 members received essential services through our partnership. Across our broader network of Traditional Health Workers, thousands of members receive support each year – helping them access care and connect to resources for housing, mental health, nutrition and more.

“We’re here to support the people doing the work on the ground,” said Shawn DeCarlo, Director of Community Impact at CareOregon. “Our role is really to make sure Traditional Health Workers have what they need so they can spend their time helping members find stable housing, get food on the table and figure out health care. They build the relationships that make it all possible. And because of that, more people are getting the support they need to stay healthy and stable in their everyday lives.”

A path forward

For Debbie, the impact of that support shows up most in the life she’s building with her daughter.

“My daughter is my life. She’s everything to me,” she said. “I’m so thankful for Angel’s help keeping us in our home. She’s been our angel.”

Members who are struggling with housing, health or other challenges may be eligible for support from a Traditional Health Worker.

Learn more about how CareOregon supports members through our Traditional Health Worker network.

Our Just Future is one of 12 partners in CareOregon’s Metro Traditional Health Workers network. Together, we provide culturally responsive, trusted support that helps members navigate care and overcome barriers to health.