IHN-CCO Creates New Positions to Strengthen Health Equity, Member Advocacy April 15, 2025 InterCommunity Health Network (IHN-CCO) has created two new positions focused on breaking down health barriers and increasing access to care to strengthen health equity in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. Todd Jeter, who previously served as IHN-CCO’s Behavioral Health Director, was promoted in March to Associate Vice President of Health Equity and Member Advocacy. Beck Fox was also promoted in March to Member Advocacy Liaison after previously serving as Health Equity Liaison on the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Team. Jeter said the changes reflect IHN-CCO’s commitment to equity and listening to members about their unique health challenges. “It’s important now more than ever that folks know where organizations like IHN-CCO stand,” Jeter said. “We’re very serious about this work, and that commitment hasn’t wavered.” Health equity means that everyone — regardless of their race, ethnicity, geography, gender identity, income or disability — has fair and equal access to healthy living, Jeter explained. “It’s more than just an ideal. It’s something that we must build intentionally,” he said. As Associate Vice President of Health Equity and Member Advocacy, Jeter said he is responsible for “embedding health equity throughout the organization.” Past efforts have included expanding workforce housing in Lincoln County to accommodate mental health workers and establishing crisis receiving centers across all three counties. “Geographic equity is a very big deal,” Jeter said. “Folks across the state, not just in our region, are facing longer wait times to get the care that they need and having real trouble accessing quality services.” In order to amplify the voices of members facing these challenges, Fox will take on the role of Member Advocacy Liaison, working closely with IHN-CCO’s Community Advisory Council to communicate their concerns and lived experiences. Prior to joining IHN-CCO, Fox worked as a mental health therapist and then program director of Project Bravery, a resource and support program for LGBTQ+ youth at the Olalla Center in Lincoln County. Fox created Project Bravery in 2020 with funding from IHN-CCO’s Delivery System Transformation (DST) Committee. “To me, health equity requires that we recognize and honor the diverse, multifaceted, interconnected aspects of every individual,” Fox said. “Within our communities, this looks like honoring people and communities as not only active participants, but experts in their own whole-person health and well-being.” IHN-CCO is working this year with its Regional Health Equity Coalition (RHEC), the Linn Benton Health Equity Alliance, and a team of consultants to conduct an in-depth health equity assessment of the organization — a key goal of its 2024 Health Equity Plan. Fox will coordinate a core team of staff working with the consultants to develop an assessment tool to establish a baseline and assist in measuring progress toward strategic health equity goals. The consultants will also produce a set of findings and recommendations to boost meaningful organizational culture change and improve health equity for members. “Now more than ever, these intentional investments and commitments to health equity are critical in ensuring that our organization continues to push forward in alignment with the Oregon Health Authority’s goal of eliminating health inequities by 2030, as well as continuing to ground ourselves in both organizational values and strategic health equity goals,” Fox said. About IHN-CCO Since 2012, IHN-CCO has worked to improve health outcomes across Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties through collaborative partnerships and community-driven initiatives. Serving more than 80,000 Oregon Health Plan members, IHN-CCO collaborates with county health departments, health care providers and community-based organizations to enhance access to quality care. For more information on how IHN-CCO and the DST are advancing health equity, visit ihntogether.org.
