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Community Needs Assessment
SHS joins Benton County, the city of Corvallis, and United Way as the organizers and funding agents of a comprehensive needs assessment conducted every three years. The assessment uses an outside research firm to conduct telephone surveys, focus groups, and personal interviews with hundreds of county residents to help identify community needs in areas including health care.
Although the number one priority is affordable housing, the next three problems are health-related: namely, affordable medical care, alcohol and drug abuse prevention, and affordable dental care.
Here are some of the ways SHS has helped address the issues identified in the 2002 assessment:
- SHS was part of the planning group and helped fund the grant writing costs to submit an application establishing a Federally-Qualified Health Center in conjunction with the Benton County Health Department. The grant was approved and the center opened at the end of 2004. SHS is also helping support a similar application in Lincoln County.
- To help the growing number of people who cannot afford their prescription drugs, SHS worked with a local planning group to establish and fund the salary costs for a Medication Assistance Program to help individuals apply for free medications from the dozens of manufacturers who offer this service. The program is offered through SHS-operated pharmacies.
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