(Behavioral Health, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Outreach are among the services to be located on the Wellness Center’s second floor, shown under construction | Photos courtesy of La Pine Community Health Center)
“Those of you who know me realize that I speak what’s on my mind,” said Erin Trapp, chief executive officer of La Pine Community Health Center (LCHC). “And it can’t be emphasized enough that the population we serve — estimated as high as 25,000 adults, children, and adolescents — needs the services that will be available in the new LCHC Wellness Center, which is an expansion of our existing campus.”
Addressing attendees at SLED’s sold-out annual luncheon, Trapp explained that in addition to bringing dental services, diagnostic imaging, and increased mental and behavioral support to the community, the project “is not just about health care. It’s about economic growth, job creation, and long-term prosperity for our region. The 27,000-square-foot Wellness Center will have an impact not just on current generations, but on generations to follow.”
Continuing her candid analysis, Trapp noted that — similar to any large construction project — the Wellness Center is experiencing various financial and logistical hurdles. “One factor is required change orders to the original design (which was drawn up in 2021). In addition, rising costs, supply chain disruptions, and delays in securing funding have significantly slowed our progress,” she said.
(Initially expected to open early in 2025, the timeline has now shifted to this fall, although construction is 85 percent completed.)
“It is important to clarify that the financing for this capital project is entirely separate from LCHC’s operational budget,” Trapp said. “The capital campaign to build the Wellness Center is funded through dedicated financing and fundraising efforts, distinct from the monies used for day-to-day operations and patient care.”
Like many community health centers across the nation, LCHC faced uncertainty earlier this year regarding federal operational funding — and, in response, implemented an 11 percent workforce reduction to protect long-term patient services.
Congress subsequently approved funding for community health centers through September 30, allowing LCHC to recall some previously affected employees and begin rebuilding its team.
Facing the attentive SLED audience of business and community leaders, Trapp pointed out that — like the nation’s other 1,400 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), also known as Community Health Centers (CHCs) — LCHC is “mission-driven, rather than profit-driven, and committed to providing comprehensive primary care and support services to medically underserved populations, regardless of their insurance status or income. However, she added, “everybody is welcome.”
This nationwide network of 1,400 safety-net providers served more than 31 million patients in 2023, with LCHC supporting its patients from locations in both La Pine and Gilchrist.
“Although all CHCs provide the same basic services, they are very unique based on the needs of the communities they serve,” Trapp said. “For example, LCHS’s patients can currently receive a waiver to help pay for emergent dental care, which is crucial for overall well-being.”
This, however, is a band aid addressing a larger problem: patients deserve a dental home. Oral health impacts everything from the ability to eat and speak comfortably to early detection and treatment of issues that can be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory infections that can have long-lasting, harmful effects. Among other new services, the Wellness Center will bring a comprehensive dental clinic to La Pine.”
In addition, Trapp said, “the Wellness Center will offer imaging services that the region needs — removing the need to travel to Bend for diagnosis and intervention for concerns such as blood clots, cancer, or other abnormalities that can have serious medical consequences.”
“These new services, as well as expansion of existing primary care space, are estimated to almost double the size of LCHC’s staff,” she added, “and enable it to serve 4,600 more medical patients. That’s in addition to the patients who will be served by the Wellness Center.”
Standing between LCHC’s plans “to better care for the whole person” and their actualization is the fact that — “despite securing financing to cover a portion of the Wellness Center project last year, and despite tremendous community enthusiasm, those secured funds will not be released to LCHC until additional monies totaling approximately two million dollars are raised to bring this vital project to completion.”
“Our commitment to seeing the Wellness Center become reality is undiminished,” said Trapp, “as this facility will serve as a crucial resource for the region. But we can’t move forward and cross the finish line without the community’s financial backing. We need donors, both large and small, to help us build a healthier future together.”
