FCHN received a generous pilot grant from Intercommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization to place a registered nurse in a senior and disabled apartment building for two hours, twice a month. They began that effort in January, 2025 with Tawni Pfaff, Faith Community Nurse filling that volunteer role. The grant continues through 2026, but the findings have been amazing. Marcy Shanks, FCHN Board Chair, and Deb Fell-Carlson, FCHN Executive Director, have been selected to present their interim findings at the Forum on Rural Population Health, to be held virtually on May 14 & 15, 2026. Their session title and summary:
Integrating healthcare into housing: a preliminary look at the impact of embedded nursing on well-being and care coordination
Explore the preliminary findings from a small group of passionate faith community nurses in east Linn County who are penetrating systemic barriers to healthcare access and equity by staffing a nurse-led “health resource center” in a low-income senior housing complex a few hours a month. Coordination and collaboration with local faith communities, the local housing authority, coordinated care organization, and health system, as well as educational institutions and other community-based organizations are bringing much needed services to vulnerable residents, almost half of whom were homeless prior to moving in. Learn about the implementation process that led to real-world nursing interventions preventing unnecessary ambulance calls and hospitalizations, encouraging important contacts with primary care providers, and connecting residents to resources for health-related social needs.
Registration will be open soon. Find out more and sign up for Forum updates at this link: https://www.ohsu.edu/oregon-office-of-rural-health/forum-rural-population-health
