Home Transforming Health Care Pilots & Projects Past Pilot Summaries
Since 2013, IHN-CCO has worked with community partners to complete more than 100 pilot projects throughout Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties. See how these past projects have made an impact on transforming health care and advancing health equity in our community.
The summaries below reflect pilot projects that completed their work in that year.
Organization: Applegate Landing, LLC
This pilot project was a collaborative effort with Crossroads Communities to increase service hours for residents of Applegate Landing to improve access to care. Through the expanded hours, the project was able to help many vulnerable families maintain housing when under financial hardship or health issues, provide meals, casework, peer support, food resources, transportation, wellness check-ins, and cooking classes.
Affordable Housing Resident Services – Final Report
Organization: Lincoln County School District
Two bilingual staff within the Lincoln County School District HELP program were training as CHWs through OSU’s CHW certification program. The advocate identified 148 students in need of support over the course of the year. 133 of those students and families expressed medical or basic resource needs that the advocate worked to connect them with or provided directly through other HELP program funding streams. Families were able to access resources such as district food pantries, housing resources, clothing closets, and hygiene supplies.
Bilingual McKinney Vento Advocates – Final Report
Organization: Lebanon Community School District
Students (primarily freshmen and sophomores) have been excluded from high school and put on shortened days with limited resources. This has led to credit deficiency, social isolation, and overall negative outcomes. CLIMB was created as a proactive and inclusive approach to serving freshmen and sophomores. CLIMB is an alternative educational program for the 15 most at-risk underclassmen of Lebanon High School. Students were able to access their education in a smaller environment, where they had the opportunity to earn up to 9 credits in a school year. Students were exposed to multiple local resource agencies and attended multiple field trips. Students attended school more frequently than they had in the past and reported feeling more successful than they had in the past.
CLIMB – Final Report
Organization: ANDARES
This pilot program developed a culturally specific, community-led resource navigation program to improve access to social and health resources for the Latino community in the Linn Central School District area. The project trained community members as outreach promoters to identify community resources and needs, facilitate community engagement, and coordinate solutions with local partners.
Conexiones – Final Report
Organization: Crossroads Communities
Crossroads Communities provided a transportation program to low-to-moderate income households in Linn & Benton counties that handled last minute non-emergency needs for activities of daily life (Social Determinants of Health). Although this program was not used for emergency medical transportation, CRC ended up saving seven lives by being available for ‘concerning healthcare events which had not been identified as emergencies at the time.
Emergent Needs Backup Transportation – Final Report
Organization: Oregon Family Support Network
The pilot established a framework for a statewide fatherhood initiative, centered on connection, inclusion, and system transformation. Fathers who had previously been disconnected from parenting support actively participated in group sessions, demonstrating higher levels of confidence, communication, and involvement with their children. Participants reported feeling respected and understood during sessions, indicating progress in reducing stigma associated with fathers’ involvement in family-serving programs. Several Family Support Specialists within the IHN-CCO region were trained and certified to facilitate Nurturing Fathers, creating sustainable local capacity for ongoing delivery. The pilot strengthened cross-system relationships between OFSN, community partners, and behavioral-health providers, promoting a more inclusive, father-friendly network of care.
Nurturing Fathers Wellbeing – Final Report
Organization: Jackson Street Youth Services
Jackson Street Youth Services’ Positive Outcomes for LGBTQ+ Youth pilot project was designed to improve health equity and prevent youth homelessness by expanding supportive, identity-affirming programming for LGBTQ2SIA+ youth and their families in Linn and Benton counties. The project focused on strengthening outreach staffing, expanding Queer Peers support groups, and developing new curriculum and engagement opportunities to increase youth well-being, belonging, and connection to services.
Although the original plan included a curriculum development partnership with Portland State University, that collaboration could not move forward due to capacity limitations. As a result, the project requested an extension and pivoted toward building curriculum internally and investing in staff training to sustain LGBTQ2SIA+-specific services across their continuum of care.
Positive Outcomes for LGBTQ+ Youth – Final Report
Organization: Every Child LBL
This pilot project focused on strengthening support for foster families and children through four key strategies: hospitality, outreach, preparedness, and engagement. The most important outcomes shared by this pilot included improving stability, well-being, and connection for children and families impacted by foster care; supporting over 150 resource homes, ensuring caregivers had the practical resources and encouragement needed to provide safe, stable placements. Approximately 500 children participated in 36 Family & Parent Night Out programs, giving them positive social experiences while providing caregivers critical respite. Resources provided included 82 mattresses, birthday celebrations, and essential items, along with 300+ new pairs of shoes and 54 fulfilled birthday requests, reducing financial stress for families and helping children feel celebrated and supported.
Project Hope – Final Report
Organization: Weaving Fala
Weaving Wisdom was a relationship-centered pilot that supported families of color in Lebanon by building trust, connection, and advocacy skills in response to racial bias and systemic barriers. Through Level Up youth programming and direct advocacy support, the project created safe spaces for children to build confidence and leadership while equipping parents with the information and tools needed to navigate bias incidents in schools. By centering people and relationships, Weaving Wisdom strengthened family advocacy, increased youth confidence, and created lasting community impact.
Weaving Wisdom – Final Report
Over the past year, Jackson Street Youth Services implemented the Youth-Centered Outreach and Marketing Materials pilot to reduce barriers to accessing homelessness prevention and intervention services for youth and young adults ages 10–24 in Linn and Benton counties. The project centered youth voice and equity by developing accessible, trauma-informed outreach tools, including translated Spanish-language materials, youth-led storytelling videos, and virtual facility tours that allow prospective participants and referring partners to preview services safely and confidently. These materials increased transparency, cultural and linguistic accessibility, and trust in Jackson Street’s programs, supporting earlier engagement and more equitable access to housing stability resources for youth and families.
Youth-centered Outreach & Marketing Materials – Final Report
Organization: Community Outreach, Inc.
Community Outreach Inc’s Youth Cohort Housing allowed for an expansion of our existing services to accommodate the unique needs of young adults aged 18-25. The lease of an additional site (house) increased our capacity to serve this demographic, helping young adults transition from the structure and support of life in COI dorms to stable independent living, while promoting their ability to maintain long-term stability.
Youth Cohort Housing – Final Report
Organization: Family Tree Relief Nursery
This pilot project focused on improving access to behavioral health services in non-traditional ways while developing a bicultural and bilingual workforce to support the Indigenous/Tribal and Latino/a/x IHN members impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) in Linn and Benton Counties. The overarching goal of this project was to develop and implement an innovative model embedded in the community where members experience their disease, coupled with expanded culturally responsive peer services for Latin/a/x and Indigenous/Tribal communities that led to more positive health outcomes for IHN-CCO Latino/a/x and Indigenous/Tribal members that are suffering from SUD and other behavioral health issues.
Culturally Responsive Peer Services – Final Report
Organization: Corvallis Daytime Drop-In Center
CDDC’s pilot project was a response to the fact that the majority of low-income and homeless neighbors have significant behavioral health needs, from addressing depression to PTSD to schizophrenia to substance abuse to childhood trauma. It was also a response to the reality that traditional behavioral health models are deeply inequitable and, through racism, ableism, and the drive for profit, have actively harmed many of the individuals we serve. CDDC piloted a collaborative, tiered behavioral health support system that included a diverse team of volunteers, interns, and staff. The project cultivated a flexible, innovative, non-traditional model of “counseling” invested in decolonizing approaches and unconventional opportunities for increased holistic mental wellness.
Decolonizing Behavioral Health Supports – Final Report
Organization: Lincoln County Health & Human Services
This pilot project opened a low barrier winter shelter in Newport and Lincoln City during the winter of 2023/2024. Opening the homeless shelters significantly contributed to improving the health of individuals experiencing homelessness by providing them with a safe place to stay, access to basic needs like food and hygiene, and support system for managing physical and mental challenges. By offering these essential services, the shelter helped reduce the negative health effects associated with living on the streets, such as exposure to extreme weather, lack of sanitation, and limited access to medical care. Additionally, providing referrals to medical, mental health, and substance use services helped ensure individuals receive the care they need to improve their overall health outcomes, which can reduce the risk of long-term health conditions and improve quality of life.
Emergency Winter Shelter Program – Final Report
Organization: Samaritan Health Services
The pilot served 10 unhoused patients, providing placement for those facing terminal illness and experiencing a sharp decline in their functional levels. The average length of stay was 3 weeks with an average cost per patient of $6,000. Had these patients been in the hospital system the cost would have been far higher. The quality of end-of-life care at the Evergreen Hospice House enabled family reunification to take place and a dramatic shift toward positive psychosocial outcomes. The reaction from community members and community partner organizations who support these same patients was very positive. The reliability of assessment and availability of beds was consistent with screening and/or placement within 48 hours.
End of Life Support – Final Report
Organization: Faith Community Health Network
Faith Community Health Network (FCHN) supports a growing group of dedicated Faith Community Nurses (FCNs) and health ministers from diverse faiths serving community members in the context of their faith tradition within a faith community and/or in the community-at-large. They bring spiritual care and improved healthcare access to vulnerable and diverse populations in non-traditional settings. This project focused on building awareness of FCHN as a resource for nurses and health ministers serving in their faith communities or other settings, for faith leaders who want to embrace improved health care access for their faith communities, and capacity-building to increase the numbers of individuals in the IHN-CCO service area who are trained to serve individuals through a spirituality lens, inside and outside houses of worship. This project cultivated new partnerships and nurtured existing partnerships, participated in faith-centered and secular community and nursing events, created a website, and contracted for an informative video.
Faith Communities Engaging Health – Final Report
Organization: Furniture Share
Furniture Share Healthy Eating Children’s Cookbook pilot project aimed to promote healthy eating habits and culinary skills among children by creating and distributing over 7,000 children’s cookbooks and almost 4,000 healthy food boxes. The cookbooks feature easy-to-follow, nutritious recipes, colorful illustrations, and interactive activities designed to make cooking fun and educational. The accompanying Healthy Family Thriving Community food boxes provide fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, and diverse spices to encourage well-rounded, home-cooked meals. Through this initiative, Furniture Share aimed to foster a love for cooking and empower children and families to make healthier food choices.
Healthy Eating Children’s Cookbook – Final Report
Organization: Creating Housing Coalition
This pilot focused on building a small housing community to address the needs of Albany’s unhoused and housing-unstable neighbors. Residents would include veterans, seniors, individuals on disability, youth aging out of the foster care system, people with disabilities, small families and individuals in danger of losing housing or who had lost housing due to unforeseen circumstances. A small home village would directly address the shortage of affordable housing in Albany by providing a stable, permanent residence to individuals or families with limited financial resources and ongoing health needs. The project also expanded partnerships, distributed food and supplies, provided information on available services, and provided intensive case management.
Hub City Village – Final Report
Organization: Unity Shelter
The Traditional Health Worker (THW) program at Unity Shelter was designed to bridge healthcare gaps for individuals experiencing homelessness by providing advocacy, resource navigation, and direct support. The pilot phase of this program demonstrated significant outcomes in improving access to healthcare, addressing systemic barriers, and fostering long-term well-being.
Improving Access With Traditional Health Workers – Final Report
Organization: Capitol Dental
This pilot aimed to improve oral health for children and adults with special needs by utilizing a Community Health Worker to be the central hub of the dental care team, to improve daily preventive mouth care, and to improve access to and the quality of definitive dental treatment. The pilot improved oral health outcomes by serving 29 patients, including those with complex needs. Preventive care and desensitization efforts helped reduce the need for general anesthesia, which is often associated with higher risks and complications, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Overcoming Obstacles to Dental Care – Final Report
The Transitioning into a Home Pilot Project aimed to address furniture poverty and food insecurity by waiving client delivery fees while distributing essential healthy food boxes, furniture and household items. The goal was to serve 2,400 individuals, waive fees for 600 households, and provide 1,800 food boxes. However, due to high demand, the project exceeded expectations, ultimately serving 3,817 individuals (a 59% increase), waiving 604 delivery fees, and distributing 2,607 food boxes (a 45% increase).
Transitioning into a Home – Final Report
Organization: Olalla Center
Olalla Center’s Ahead of the Curve pilot project was designed to address the critical workforce challenges faced in rural behavioral health. Goals were designed to improve the quality and quantity of care available to the Lincoln County community. The intention was to create an internal support system and career tracks to encourage new interest as well as growth in behavioral health roles. In order to accomplish this, they increased capacity for clinical supervision, improved training opportunities and processes, offered increased internships, empowered staff to return to school, and offered licensing and CEU assistance for developing clinicians.
Ahead of the Curve – Final Report
Organization: Olalla Center Arcoíris Cultural is Spanish for “Cultural Rainbow,” named for the myriad of cultures that make up the Lincoln County community. The program was able to continue to foster whole-person wellness through a hybrid of resource navigation, arts, culture, and community building. The program hosted a variety of cultural events, including music and dance performances, as well as art exhibits and art classes, traditional cooking classes, artisan markets, food distribution, community gardens and more. Many activities and groups that were popular during the first year of the program were offered once again, including a
Arcoíris Cultural – Final Report
Organization: North End Senior Solutions
The desired outcome for this pilot was an engaged “partnership in health” resulting from a Culture of Supports within the Lincoln County community. Behavioral health screenings resulted in health care consumers participating in counseling and enjoying a safe place to talk. The program was able to secure funding to train two additional Community Healthcare Workers. The pilot reported added or increased collaboration with Samaritan Clinics and other healthcare providers.
Culture of Supports – Final Report
Organization: Disability Equity Center
Disability Equity Center was a visionary grassroots community cultural center built by and for disabled people. DEC was designed to:
Disability Equity Center – Final Report
Organization: St. Martin’s Episcopal Church
During its 18 months of operation, The Health Navigation Station computer kiosk at St. Martin’s church provided underserved populations in rural East Linn County, especially Oregon Health Plan members and older low-income and unhoused populations, with greater technological equity to improve their ability to navigate the internet and access to health services they need and are eligible for. The HNS provided this resource during breakfast drop-in hours three times a week by providing access to a dedicated phone, computer, guest Wi-Fi, printer, and tech coaching. Members could make and track appointments, check email from health care providers, research best practices for their personal health, research side-effects of medications they have been prescribed, set up transportation, apply for services that required an online application, etc.
Health Navigation Station – Final Report
Organization: Casa Latinos Unidos
The project focused on language access including health literacy, access to information in members’ target language, collaboration with health agencies, and providing supports/feedback on the needs of the Latinx community to address health inequities. The primary goal of the pilot program was to understand the Latinx community’s experiences navigating the healthcare system, particularly within the Samaritan Health Services (SHS) patient pathways. This included identifying the stages at which they seek medical attention, make appointments, receive care, follow up, and handle payments.
PUENTES – Final Report
The project’s primary goal was to empower patients to make informed health decisions by supplementing online health information with evidence-based content. The information used in content creation was then used in health literacy appropriate handouts targeted to the “Zennial” generation who are more accustomed to online interactions in a more casual communication style. This funneling process worked to improve patient awareness of evidence-based lifestyle medicine care and improved the ability of educational materials for providers to refer patients to.
The Health Collective – Final Report
Organization: Newport 60+ Activity Center
This pilot implemented an evidence-based program, Walk with Ease, which is able to be conducted virtually to reach isolated individuals or those with transportation or mobility challenges. All participants reported increased physical and emotional strength — a new sense of community. The pilot shared that results can be replicated for other exercise/education programs, as well as for workshops, lectures and more.
Walk n’ Roll – Final Report
Organization: Family Assistance & Resource Center Group
Family Assistance & Resource Center Group (FAC) in East Linn County put in place a specialized wraparound care team of professionals and peers that will address health disparities in our rural unsheltered/ homeless population. This team provided individualized care to treat the whole person (mentally, physically and emotionally) through street outreach and in-reach at the Sweet Home/FAC micro shelter and navigation site. The program combined medical and social interventions on the street and in shelter spaces with the community. Rather than treat isolated health problems without considering the person’s social or environmental situation, this program provided care that recognizes the interaction between health and housing to improve health and well-being.
Wellness Care Team – Final Report
Organization: Red Feather Ranch
Pilot attempted to identify 300 women veterans in the tri county area, targeting rural and tribal members to develop and conduct a needs assessment survey and interviews and develop and facilitate a peer support community to improve the general well-being and health outcomes for those women veterans. Additionally, the pilot aimed to educate 100 community service and primary care providers about the experience of women veterans to reduce stigma and normalize behavioral health issues.
Women Veterans Cohort – Final Report
