About the Rural Health Equity Project

Supporting rural Lane County communities through community engagement and building capacity for addressing health challenges.
Recognizing the need to better connect with and support rural communities, this project tested a new to gather input from rural residents most affected by health challenges related to race, location, and income. The goal was to help these communities build the resources and partnerships needed to address these issues. 
​
This project is a part of Live Healthy Lane's work to understand health equity and access challenges in Lane County. The input gathered will help shape recommendations for the Community Health Improvement Plan. 

Goals of the Project:

  • Strengthen resources and support for rural communities facing health challenges.​​
  • Work with rural communities to create solutions through partnerships.
  • Ensure the voices and experiences of rural residents are included in decision-making.
  • Use the information and connections from the project to guide future community health investments and efforts.

Pilot Community Forums

Between May and June 2022, community forums were held in the Siuslaw Upriver community and the South Lane community, with about 25-30 participants at each event.

Key issues raised included:
  • ​Lack of childcare options
  • Needs for mental health services
  • More living wage jobs
  • Limited access to dental care and healthcare
  • Gaps in insurance coverage
  • Need for better language access
  • The importance of intersectional solutions (solutions that consider multiple challenges at once).

In July 2022, Live Healthy Lane partners reviewed the summary findings below and continue to use this information to better support rural communities in Lane County. 

Background

The 2017 Lane County Health Equity Report highlighted significant health disparities.
  • 1 in 5 people in Lane County live in poverty.
  • Poverty ​rates among Black, Indigenous, and Latine individuals are nearly twice as high. 
  • Rural Community members, especially those living in poverty and communities of color that have faced historically marginalization, experience worse health outcomes 
In response, in June 2018 the Board of Health made a request to the Lane Equity Coalition, a Live Healthy Lane workgroup at the time, to form a subcommittee charged with making recommendations to advance health equity in Lane County. ​

As part of this effort, the  subcommittee launched the Rural Health Equity Project to support rural communities with addressing health inequities.​

Pilot Communities


South Lane -  Cottage Grove

Siuslaw Upriver Region - Mapleton, Deadwood, Swisshome
The Rural Health Equity's pilot communities were selected based on that community's health and education data, feedback from rural community partners and advisors, and existing rural partnerships.

Project Outline

  • Phase 1: Strengthen rural partnerships
  • Phase 2: Seek community input on how to best support health equity efforts
  •  Phase 3: Build support for local health equity efforts
  • Ongoing: Seek to work together on current health equity efforts and projects 
 Centering Rural Lane County Voices through Community Partnership and Collaboration 
Project Homepage  - Meet Our Team - Rural Partner Spotlights  
Proudly powered by Weebly