Hospital-based Resource Access Centers: Impact NW Provides Much Needed Access to Care, Information and Support

June 3, 2020

We know that access to individualized services from compassionate and knowledgeable people in the community is the key to finding and successfully navigating the path to stability and opportunity. And moreover, having access to this information and the opportunity to partner with people in our own communities can mean the difference between stability and homelessness for so many of our neighbors. 

This is why we partner with Providence Health & Services to establish the Community Resource Desk program at 5 locations across the Portland area. The first of its kind in the nation, these Community Resource Desks continue to connect hundreds of our neighbors each month with the resources and services they need to address the social determinants of health. 

“The Community Resource Desk is a vital connection between clients and care. “[It’s] a great place where anyone can go for resources,” notes Carmen Diaz. “I don’t know why we don’t have it at other clinics.”

We know that structural injustices, and factors like socioeconomic status, lack of access to living wage jobs, healthy foods, and safe environments affect individuals and communities well-being. These factors have an immense impact on one’s life and the overall stability of our shared-community.

From WHO:

“The social determinants of health (SDH) are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies and political systems.”

Knowing the critical importance of the social determinants of health and the success of the CRDs, we are expanding this resource through a partnership with Kaiser Permanente. These Community Resource Access Centers (RAC) will be operated by Impact NW in Gresham, Salem, as well as both Clark and Clackamas Counties. 

The newly formed Resource Access Centers at Kaiser will open the door for hundreds of our most vulnerable community members with service navigation for housing, food, employment resources and so much more. And we’re excited to see the impact this access will have on our shared-community.

Meet the new RAC Team!