Mosaic Medical, a nonprofit community health center providing quality care for all in Bend, Redmond, Prineville and Madras, was recently awarded $20,000 from the Roundhouse Foundation and $51,000 from PacificSource Health Plans Community Health Excellence grants program. The funds will be used to support screening and outreach for colorectal cancer (CRC) among Spanish-speaking patients across Central Oregon.
“We are grateful for the generous support from the Roundhouse Foundation and PacificSource Health Plans to enhance our colorectal screening program across Central Oregon,” said Elaine Knobbs-Seasholtz, Mosaic’s Director of Strategy and Development. “Regular screenings are one of the most powerful ways for detecting and preventing colorectal cancer. We hope the funding will make the screening process more convenient and easier for our Spanish-speaking patients.”
In general, Central Oregon has lower CRC screening completion rates compared to the rest of the state, as well as the nation. And in Oregon, Hispanic older adults have the lowest rate of screening at just 21 percent. Another factor impacting CRC screenings: an estimated 10.5 percent of new colorectal cancer cases occur in people younger than age 50. As a result, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently lowered the age recommendation for CRC screening from 50-75 years to 45-49 years.
Mosaic is committed to addressing these disparities through the equitable expansion of their CRC screening program. The Mosaic Population Health team will collaborate with the organization’s Spanish Communications Coordinator, Language Access Specialists (LAS) and the Latinx Outreach Advisory Group to develop messaging and materials to reach Central Oregon’s Spanish-speaking community. Additional follow-up care will also be coordinated with assistance from members of the LAS team.
Background on Funding Organizations:
The Roundhouse Foundation is a private foundation based in Sisters that supports creative solutions to the unique challenges associated with rural culture and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. For more information, call 541-904-0700 or visit their website at roundhousefoundation.org. For more information on the fall grant recipients, view here.
PacificSource Health Plans is an independent, not-for-profit community health plan serving the Northwest. Founded in 1933, PacificSource has local offices throughout Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Washington. The PacificSource family of companies employs more than 1,500 people and serves over 523,700 individuals throughout the Greater Northwest. For more information, visit pacificsource.com.
Mosaic Medical is a nonprofit community health center that serves Central Oregonians from all walks of life. Through a network of 15 clinics, we offer integrated health services that address each patient’s medical, dental, behavioral health, nutrition and medication needs. Our care is never influenced by how much money our patients make, what language they speak or the status of their insurance coverage. Mosaic Medical provides quality care for all. For more information, visit mosaic medical.org.
roundhousefoundation.org • pacificsource.com • mosaicmedical.org
