Oregon’s congressional delegation is working to secure funding for a public health clinic in Cottage Grove. It would be the first Federally Qualified Health Center in a rural part of Lane County.
Lane County Commissioner Heather Buch said there’s a need for rural residents to access a clinic in their own community.
“And when you have issues with that, sometimes people miss their appointments or just don’t go in for one reason or another,” Buch said. “And we want people to be able to access their doctors and nurses and clinics whenever the need exists.”
Buch said this has been a long time coming. Half of the $4 million in funding has been secured through grants and foundations. Representative Peter DeFazio has secured $1.5 million in a House appropriations bill and Senators Merkley and Wyden are working on the Senate side.
Buch said if the federal dollars come through they could break ground on the clinic as soon as next year.
Copyright 2021 KLCC.
