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Proposed federal funding package could help Valley Family Health build new facility

NYSSA – Valley Family Health Care is in line to receive more than $2 million in federal funds to build a new medical facility in Nyssa and spearhead a regional drug treatment program in jails.
The money is part of a funding package crafted by U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) designed to pour more than $39 million into the state for families in rural and coastal communities and to spark economic development.
Merkley, who is a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced last week the funding package passed out of the committee with bipartisan support.
The funding proposal now must be debated by the full Senate.
The timing of that debate is “still quite fluid,” said Molly Prescott, Oregon press secretary for Merkley. “We aren’t sure how that will shake out yet.”
If the legislation is approved, $1.5 million will be used to help lay the groundwork for a new Valley Family medical facility in Nyssa.
Valley Family also would get a second award of $816,000 to create a medication-assisted opioid use diversion program for jails in the region.
Valley Family officials unveiled a preliminary plan in February to build a new medical center in Nyssa. The size of the building will depend on the total funding the nonprofit can arrange.
One plan for a smaller building costing $4.5 million would provide medical, behavioral health and dental care. More funding would allow a larger building to also provide other community services. That would cost an estimated $5.4 million.
Valley Family now operates a dental office and clinic in Nyssa. Both buildings, though, are old and squeezed for space.
Ken Hart, Valley Family chief executive officer, said the federal money is “critical to our overall success.”
Hart said “getting to the next stage in the process is fantastic.”
“I need to get to work to find the rest of the funding,” he said and the federal grant would help.
“When you can go to grant sources and say we have the land locked in and a $1.5 million commitment from the feds, that sure helps us get more funding,” he said.
The proposed $816,000 outlay will be for addicttion programs for inmates in jails in Malheur, Union, Baker and Umatilla counties.
Inmates would volunteer for the treatment, said Hart.
“At the end of the day when you have adults in custody who are willing to go through that treatment, that’s the best time. They are outside negative influences,” he said.
The Malheur County Jail already has some addiction-relief related programs, said Sheriff Travis Johnson, but the Valley Family plan would “create more opportunities” for those struggling with addiction.
“It does work nicely with the other diversion programs we are working on,” said Johnson.
Johnson and other local law enforcement officials are now occupied with a separate plan for a state-sponsored addiction-related program. The state announced earlier this year that it planned to allot $18 million to help fund “deflection” programs to assist those struggling with substance abuse.
Malheur County is eligible for $150,000 of the state money. Johnson said the Valley Family and state programs “kind of work hand-in-hand.”
Now, said Johnson, the jail contracts with Valley Family for health care and with Lifeways for mental health services.
Johnson said the Valley Family program is “a more complete package to get people off of drugs and cleaned up.”
“I think it is pretty significant. We certainly have a bad drug problem,” he said.
News tip? Contact reporter Pat Caldwell at [email protected]

Previous coverage:

Valley Family seeks input on preliminary plan for expanded health center in Nyssa

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