Our History
1972...ASHLAND WOMENS' HEALTH CENTER established by local Ashland women. Services focused on self-help and education including self-care exams, pregnancy and communicable disease testing. Volunteers provided all services.
1976...Agency name changed to ASHLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER. Services expanded to focus on all family members. Six volunteer doctors provided medical services one evening per week in addition to the self-help services. VISTA volunteer Pat Sawyer and Mary Ann Grove provided clinic coordination.
1978...Funds secured from the City of Ashland to hire part-time physician. Medical services expanded to three half-days per week. Lynn Anderson, M.D. hired as the clinic physician.
1981...Services expanded to four half days staffed by Bennet Robertson, DO and part-time nurse. Marylin Lenihan hired as Center Director. Mary Beth Burton, RN, Family Nurse Practitioner joined the staff in 1982 through 1984.
1983...Agency name change to COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER. Medford branch office opened two half-days per week in space donated by Sacred Heart Parish. Ashland office moved from second floor on Main Street to 246 Fourth Street where services continued to be provided three half-days per week.
1986...Medication Assistance Program established. Diagnostic lab and x-ray services were expanded through contributions of local hospitals and doctors. Family Nurse Practitioner Kelli LaFleur, RN joined the staff.
1987...Fire destroyed the Medford offices. When service was re-established at Sacred Heart Parish, added space allowed for the expansion of services to four half-days per week. Steve Thomas, DO was hired as Medical Director/Clinic Physician and Peg Crowley, RN, MPH as Executive Director in August 1987.
1988...Services expanded to five full days per week in Medford and three and a half days in Ashland. Mary Beth Burton, RN, Nurse Practitioner rejoined the staff.
1991...Adult counseling services were added, utilizing volunteers and student interns supervised by Kathy R. Ingram, PhD. Eric Webb, MD assumed the responsibilities of Medical Director. Tom Hazel, RN was hired as a nurse practitioner.
1993...Medford office moved to 19 Myrtle Street. Expanded space doubled service volume. Lynne Pethtel, R.N., Nurse Practitioner was a welcome addition to the staff as requests for assistance doubled.
1994...The Oregon Health Plan was implemented expanding State health coverage to the most needy of residents. Services to the "working poor" (usually minimum wage households with no health insurance) who escaped the State Health Plan were expanded. Karen Kahn, MD was hired as Medical Director/ Clinic Physician. The Nurse Practitioner staff was expanded with the addition of Shannon Rio, RN and Annette Batzer, RN in 1996.
1996...VOLPACT Program was established by the Medical Society making discounted specialty services available to low income uninsured residents of the county. Jackson County voters approved a serial levy for county services including health care provided by Community Health Center. Clinic staff and volunteers provided 10,794 primary and preventative care visits on behalf of 3,636 individuals during this year. Both branch offices open five days per week.
1997...COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER celebrates "25 YEARS OF CARING" made possible by the vision of its founders and board members, the commitment and investments of local units of government, hospitals, health care providers, members of the Medical Society, church and civic groups, charitable foundations, the United Way and more than 500 individuals who annually donate the funding and resources necessary to ensure that timely and affordable health care is a reality for all families in Jackson County.
1998...Opening our third branch office (February 9th ) in White City to better serve the residents in upper Jackson County.
1999...New Ashland clinic at 99 Central enlarging from two to seven patient examining rooms and offering five times the floor space. It is created by generous gifts of the community and from many businesses, foundations, governments and grants and slated to open in April.
2000...Elena Niebel, RN, Family Nurse Practitioner joined Community Health Center staff.
2001...Kirk Smith, Family Nurse Practitioner joined Community Health Center Staff working in the White City clinic. Lisa Clayton, Family Nurse Practitioner joined Community Health Center staff working in the Medford site.
2002...Community Health Center celebrates 30 years. Since 1972 Community Health Center has been developing capacity to meet the demand for health care of the 37,000 residents in Jackson County who are uninsured, and those 17,000 residents who have minimal coverage. To meet these needs, Community Health Center facilities are expanding, our services and programs are growing. Today, Community Health Center operates three facilities in Jackson County: Ashland, Medford and White City. In May 2001 Community Health Center began raising funds for its new Upper Rogue facility and to secure funds toward its Medford Capital Campaign.
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