The Western Lane Health Network (WLHN) recently opened two centers -on school grounds- to offer early intervention and behavioral counseling to children and teens on the central Oregon coast.
Since opening in December, seventy-eight K-12 students have received counseling at the resource center at Siuslaw Elementary School in Florence. Operational manager Cheri Payne says before, students could have to wait up to 4 months to see a counselor.
“When you live in a rural community not everybody can make it over to Eugene or Springfield,” says Payne, “sometimes transportation issues, parents need to be at work.”
Mapleton’s school resource center has welcomed 27 young clients since January. Clinical social worker Heather Culp describes what kids struggle with.
“Anxiety, depression, there’s some bullying, a lot of family issues and social issues, low self-esteem, and some more severe problems like PTSD, a lot of trauma,” Culp says.
The clinics are in renovated classrooms, funded by PeaceHealth Oregon. Separate entrances protect students’ privacy.
The Mapleton center is at 10868 East Mapleton Road, Suite 100, is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 5 pm.
The Siuslaw center, at 2221 Oak Street, is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to 5 pm. Families may make an appointment at either location by calling 541-997-5410
For more information : https://westlanehealth.org/
