Willamette Health Council

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Salem, OR
Willamette Health Council

Improving the health of the Marion-Polk community

03/12/2026

Several WHC staff and friends had the opportunity to attend the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub’s fundraiser last weekend. It was a wonderful evening celebrating the partnerships and shared commitment to supporting young children and families across our region.

Thank you to the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub, Inc. team for bringing everyone together and for all you do to support children and families in Marion and Polk counties.

03/04/2026

We’re off to a great start at the 4th Annual Marion-Polk Children, Youth, & Family Services Summit. We’ll post more photos in our Instagram stories throughout the day. Our Emcees, Diana and Ecoa, did a great job welcoming over 350 participants and our first panel of speakers, state leaders talking about the impact of federal changes to Oregon children and families.

03/02/2026

📅 Save the Date on June 25th for the THW Alliance Summit!

Join us for the Traditional Health Worker (THW) Alliance Summit on Thursday, June 25th from 8am–5pm at Roth’s Event Center in West Salem.

This full-day gathering will include breakfast, lunch, and an end-of-day networking hour. We’re excited to welcome two keynote speakers - Lou Radja, award-winning inspirational speaker and social entrepreneur, and Lillian Tsai, coach and DEIB facilitator & consultant.

Registration opens in April — stay tuned for more details.
Questions? Contact Lucy at lwallace@willamettehealthcouncil.org

We look forward to gathering with Traditional Health Workers and partners from across the region.

02/26/2026

In case you missed our Winter Newsletter, we want to take a moment to recognize some incredible community volunteers stepping into new leadership roles at WHC.

We recently welcomed new leadership for both our Community Advisory Council (CAC) and Board of Directors:
• Jessy Powell was elected CAC Co-Chair and now joins the Board, representing the voice of Oregon Health Plan members in our region
• Justin Huff has stepped into the role of Board Chair
• Kim Leathley was elected Board Vice-Chair
• Josh Graves was elected Board Treasurer and will serve as Co-Chair of the Finance Committee

We are grateful for the expertise and commitment these leaders bring to strengthening health and well-being across Marion and Polk counties. You can learn more about the CAC and Board on our WHC website.

02/25/2026

How can we make getting help for housing and health care easier in our community?

Our partners at the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance (MWVHA) are launching a short survey to better understand the barriers people face when trying to access services in Marion and Polk counties.

If you’ve experienced challenges getting help, supported someone who has, or live in the Marion-Polk region, your voice matters. The survey is private, safe, and takes about 5 minutes to complete.

Community feedback will help inform efforts to improve how people connect to housing and health resources locally.

📱There are two surveys: a general survey and one for those with lived experience. You can find both at https://linktr.ee/willamettehealthcouncil

02/19/2026

There’s still time to register for the Marion-Polk Children, Youth & Family Services Summit — but space is limited.

About 30 spots remain for this year’s summit at the Salem Convention Center. Join us for a full day of learning, networking, and collaboration focused on strengthening supports for children, youth, and families across our region.

If you’ve been meaning to sign up, now is the time.

🔗 Register today before we fill up.
https://ow.ly/6zGx50Yiogy

02/17/2026

❄️ Our Winter 2026 WHC Newsletter is now live.

This issue shares updates on new WHC Board and Community Advisory Council leadership, the release of the 2026–2030 Community Health Improvement Plan, sponsorship opportunities, and a community partner spotlight on WVP Health Foundation’s No-Show Reduction Program. You’ll also find information about joining the new Marion-Polk Safety Net Collaborative and other timely updates.

Stay connected to the work happening across Marion and Polk counties.📬 Read the full newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/willamettehealthcouncil/winter2026

02/12/2026

⏰ Two vaccine clinic dates remain!

Marion County Health & Human Services is offering upcoming clinic dates to help students get up to date on required school vaccines, including Tdap.

Remaining clinic dates:
• Wednesday, February 18 | 9am–6:30pm
• Saturday, February 21 | 9am–12pm
Weekday appointments are also available Monday–Friday, 9am–4pm.

📞 Call 503-588-5342 to make an appointment.
📍 3160 Center St NE, Salem

Help your student stay protected and ready for school.

02/09/2026

We’re hiring a Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP) Manager to join the Willamette Health Council team.

This role manages WHC’s Clinical Advisory Panel, a Board-chartered committee that brings together diverse local healthcare providers to advise on clinical best practices, healthcare quality, and health information technology initiatives. The CAP Manager plays a key role in advancing the 2026–2030 Community Health Improvement Plan, supporting collaborative projects, and strengthening relationships across the healthcare community in Marion and Polk counties.

If you’re skilled in program and project management, group facilitation, and community engagement—and interested in systems-level impact—we encourage you to apply.

🔗 Learn more and apply:
https://willamettehealthcouncil.org/more/job-opportunities/

02/05/2026

Continuing our staff service spotlight series, we’re highlighting Josie Silverman-Méndez, Deputy Director at the Willamette Health Council, and the many ways she shows up for our community both within and beyond WHC.

Josie currently serves in leadership and advisory roles across our region, including:
• Member and Health & Human Services Committee Co-Chair of the Governor's Racial Justice Council, which advises the Governor on racial justice issues in Oregon (pictured)
• Board Member and Health & Safety Committee Co-Chair for the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance
• Board Member for Center for Hope & Safety
• Executive Committee Chair for the Marion-Polk Community Health Collaborative, which leads regional CHA and CHIP work
• Representative for WHC on the Salud es Poder Coalition, advocating to protect Healthier Oregon

We’re grateful for Josie’s leadership and her commitment to advancing equity, health, and safety across Marion and Polk counties.

02/03/2026

The 2026–2030 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) is already making headlines.

A recent Salem Reporter article highlights how regional partners, including the Willamette Health Council, are working together in a variety of ways, such as expanding mobile health care and improving access to care across Marion and Polk counties.

Read the full CHIP on our website and see all recent WHC media coverage at willamettehealthcouncil.org/more/

01/29/2026

As part of its 2026 work, the Marion-Polk System of Care (SOC) is partnering with the Family YMCA of Marion and Polk Counties to launch a new Family Leadership Team.

This new team will create a welcoming, supportive space for local families with children ages 0–25 to share their experiences and help shape improvements to the systems that serve children, youth, and families across our region.

Family leaders will bring their lived experience navigating child, youth, and family-serving systems to help identify opportunities for strengthening local supports, address barriers, and guide the direction of the SOC. They will be supported by a network of community providers while building leadership and advocacy skills along the way.

We look forward to this important next step in elevating family voice and strengthening coordinated supports in Marion and Polk counties.

Address

1701 Liberty Street S
Salem, OR
97302

Website

http://willamettehealthcouncil.org/

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