Tag Archive for: Student Health and Wellness Center

La Clinica to operate SOU Student Health & Wellness Center

La Clinica partners with SOU to operate student health center

Medford-based community health center group La Clinica has partnered with Southern Oregon University to operate the on-campus Student Health & Wellness Center starting in September.

The collaboration is aimed at ensuring SOU can continue to provide students with affordable and high quality medical, behavioral health and reproductive health services. La Clinica accepts most insurance, including Oregon Health Plan, and does not turn away patients for inability to pay.

“La Clinica is an outstanding, community-minded organization, and SOU is proud to be partnering with them to ensure our students continue to get high-quality care while keeping their costs affordable,” SOU President Rick Bailey said. “We are indebted to everyone at La Clinica for embracing this partnership with compassion, kindness, and a focus on selfless student service.”

La Clinica CEO Brenda Johnson said that providing services at SOU will come naturally for the healthcare organization.

“We’re grateful and excited to be able to step into this role as a partner and support SOU’s vision in providing accessible and affordable health care for their students,” said Johnson. “SOU is an excellent educational home, and La Clinica has a lot of experience running school-based health centers. It’s an ideal collaboration.”

La Clinica operates 29 health centers in Jackson County, including 19 at area schools. It has deep experience in providing the services offered at the student health center. The organization serves about 30,000 patients annually.

La Clinica will begin operations at SOU as students return to campus in September for fall term, and will continue to offer students access to low-cost medical, mental health, and contraceptive care, as they’ve had available previously. The Student Health & Wellness Center is at the eastern edge of the SOU campus at 560 Indiana St.

La Clinica provides a host of other services to everyone involved in its care as well, including help signing up for the Oregon Health Plan or understanding other potential community resources; special prescription drug pricing; drop-in care on Saturdays at the Acute Care Clinic; dental care; education and training services through The Learning Well (https://thelearningwell.org); and grief education and support services through WinterSpring.

About La Clinica
La Clinica offers wellness-focused medical, dental, mental health, and substance use disorder care at 29 sites: 19 school-based centers, the Acute Care Clinic, the Women’s Health Center, East Medford Dental Clinic, a learning center, and six other community health centers. Although its mission focuses on providing access to low-income people, La Clinica is open to everyone. La Clinica was founded in 1989 to serve the primary and preventive care needs of migrant and seasonal farm workers in Jackson County.  In 2001, in response to an increasing need for affordable primary health, La Clinica expanded its scope to serve every member of the community. All services are offered regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, and on a sliding-scale basis for the uninsured and low income. Visit https://laclinicahealth.org.

About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University is a medium-sized campus that provides comprehensive educational opportunities with a strong focus on student success and intellectual creativity. Located in vibrant Ashland, Oregon, SOU remains committed to diversity and inclusion for all students on its environmentally sustainable campus. Connected learning programs taught by a host of exceptional faculty provide quality, innovative experiences for students. Visit sou.edu.

SOU Student Health and Wellness Center granted three-year accreditation


NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/vPbi9m)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Student Health and Wellness Center has been re-accredited by the largest certifying agency in the U.S. for student health centers and other ambulatory health organizations.
The three-year accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care differentiates SOU’s medical and mental health center from other outpatient facilities by certifying that it meets the criteria for high-quality patient care that is laid out in an independent evaluation process. The SOU Student Health and Wellness Center last received accreditation in 2014.
“We believe our patients and clients deserve the best,” said Anna D’Amato, executive director of the SOU center. “When you see our certificate of accreditation, you will know that AAAHC – an independent, not-for-profit organization – has closely examined our facility and procedures. It means we, as an organization, care enough about our patients to strive for the highest level of care possible.”
The accrediting agency sets nationally recognized standards for quality medical and mental health care, and accredits more than 6,000 ambulatory health care facilities and organizations – from student health centers to ambulatory surgery centers to medical and dental group practices.
Not all ambulatory health care organizations seek accreditation, and not all that undergo the rigorous process achieve certification. The process includes an extensive self-assessment and an on-site survey by AAAHC experts – physicians, nurses and others actively involved in ambulatory health care.
The SOU Student Health and Wellness Center’s mission is to promote optimal health and well-being for students through quality educational, primary medical, mental health and health promotion services. The center’s services are confidential, convenient and economical, and facilitates students’ unique healing and learning processes. Its staff of doctors, nurse practitioners, counselors, nurses, health educator, medical assistant, lab/dispensary tech and administrative and support staff see thousands of students annually.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power. It is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.