Health & Medicine

Eugene’s White Bird Clinic was founded in 1970 with a mission to help the homeless and indigent with a variety of human services. The agency offers drug and alcohol counseling, crisis support and medical services. White Bird just purchased a new building to expand its dental program. For thousands of people, this clinic may be their only contact with a dentist.

For nearly 50 years, White Bird Clinic has helped under-served populations in and around Eugene with crisis counseling, medical and-- since 1995--dental programs. The need for this service has continued to grow, prompting the agency to expand in size and scope.

If you garden, you know carrots, tomatoes and squash can grow in odd, non-standard shapes. Tons of food in Lane County is wasted each year because it's not pretty enough to be sold. Saturday in Eugene, 'Operation: Food Rescue' highlights ways to keep good produce from the garbage can.

The rate of suicide in Lane County is 50 percent greater than the national average. In a new comprehensive suicide report, Lane County Public Health details circumstances of suicide deaths.

Eugene-based Centro Latino Americano has received a grant to help people sign up for health insurance. The agency has committed to providing equity and access to underserved populations.  

A new day service center for people suffering from cognitive disabilities or brain injuries opens Tuesday in Eugene. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports. 

Nine major wildfires continue to produce new smoke and spew particulates, making air quality in Southern Oregon the *worst in the nation.

The Oregon Country Fair turns 50 next year.  Organizers are mum about what they’ll do to celebrate the event’s golden anniversary. Meanwhile, another local fixture also marks half a century in 2019, as KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.

The Oregon Country Fair tries to cover all the bases when it comes to visitor comfort and safety. The White Bird Clinic has two sites that address the physical and mental well-being of fairgoers.  KLCC’s Brian Bull met with Wren Arrington, Rock Medicine Event Coordinator for the White Bird Clinic. Bull began by asking Arrington what help the clinic can provide, and where.

The Trump administration’s recent attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act has prompted some state leaders to speak out. Oregon Governor Kate Brown met with patients at a health clinic in Eugene Tuesday and spoke on the need to protect health care coverage for all, especially those with pre-existing conditions.

Lane County Commissioners voted Tuesday to provide land for a Housing First project in Eugene. It will be housing for people who are chronically homeless.

The first round of student loan repayments have been awarded, in a program designed to boost the number of health care providers in underserved and rural communities in Oregon. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.

A mobile crisis counseling service is making itself available to more area high schools this fall. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.

Health care professionals representing all major labor unions at PeaceHealth RiverBend and University District hospitals rallied Thursday to stop a plan to outsource physician services, increase shift hours, and lay off staff. KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert asked one of the hospital physicians to explain the current dispute.

Hundreds of health care professionals rallied outside PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Hospital in Springfield Thursday.

If mosquitos love the taste of you, this summer may prove a challenge. Lane County Health officials warn a dramatic increase in the blood-sucking insects could lead to a banner year for West Nile and other viruses.

Almost three dozen students at Adams Elementary School in Eugene are staying home from school due to an outbreak of whooping cough.     

Lane County Health Officials have received notice of 149 whooping cough cases throughout 34 schools, eight of which have been declared outbreaks. The county typically sees close to 20 confirmed cases and did not record an outbreak last year.  

Cindy Morgan is with Lane County Public Health and says that large case numbers are frequent every couple of years.

For those of you suffering from runny, itchy noses and watery eyes in the Willamette Valley, relief is coming...though probably not soon enough. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, allergy season is underway in one of the worst spots in the world.

The Oregon Health Authority says the rate of non-medical vaccine exemptions for kindergarteners has increased sharply this year.

As the Trump administration continues efforts to rein in immigration, the state of Oregon is trying harder to recruit a certain kind of immigrant to help with a wide-spread shortage.  State and local health officials are hoping to add to Oregon's relatively large number of foreign-born doctors.

As of Tuesday, May 22, 2018, there are 91 confirmed cases of whooping cough across five school districts in Lane County. In an effort to quell the outbreak, Public Health departments have ordered un-immunized and sick students to be excluded from school.

Lane county is designated a “high burden” area for overdose, hospitalization and risky prescribing of opioids. Each quarter, there are an average of nine overdose deaths, countywide. Leading experts on opiates and opiate misuse will offer Ted Talk style presentations at the Eugene Public Library tomorrow (Thursday) night.

The number of whooping cough cases continues to rise in Lane County. Now 59 people have been sickened with the highly contagious disease.  Public health officials are ramping up outreach efforts to get more people-- particularly adults-- vaccinated.

Public health officials are concerned about an outbreak of pertussis, or whooping cough, at Sheldon High School in Eugene.

Lane County’s efforts-- to improve the overall health of its residents-- are paying off.  And community organizations plan to invest more in this initiative that came out of Obamacare.