public health

Spotlight on Malheur County Family Planning Program

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Who are we?

  • A group of caring nurses and a nurse practitioner who offer high quality reproductive health services and birth control.
  • Most services will be free or low cost to everyone, regardless of immigration status, sex, or gender identity.
  • Short term methods available on same day as visit.

What types of services are available at our clinic?

  • Birth control and condoms
  • Women’s check-ups, including breast exams and Pap tests
  • Emergency Contraception
  • Pregnancy tests
  • Screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
  • HPV and other immunizations
  • Information about tubal ligations and vasectomy and how to access resources
  • Colposcopy services, if needed after an abnormal Pap

Who qualifies for our services?

  • Individuals who can get pregnant OR get someone else pregnant.  Most anyone under 250% of the Federal Poverty Level is likely eligible for free reproductive health services.
  • Reproductive health is not just for women! We serve men as well.
  • Youth of any age may make an appointment/obtain services without parental consent.

How to access our services?

  • Call to make an appointment today 541-889-7279.
  • Walk-ins accepted upon nurse availability.

2023 Report

  • There were 89 teen clients (age 13-19) served through the Family Planning program, compared to 33 teens in 2021.
  • There were 95 males who were served through Family Planning, compared to 45 in 2022 and none in 2021.
  • The percentage of clients using long-acting, reversible contraception increased from 11.3% in 2021 to 12.5% in 2022.  14% of Family Planning clients use Nexplanon, a type of long-acting, reversible contraception) compared to the statewide average of 9.6%. Data for 2023 has not yet been released, but we anticipate another increase.

2024 Goals

  • Increase the number of teen Family Planning clients by 5%. That would be an increase of four more patients, for a total of 93 patients aged 13-19.
  • Host the Teen Advisory Coalition with at least ten students from area schools and meet at least seven times.
  • The Teen Advisory Coalition will identify health disparities teens experience and develop at least seven social media posts to engage their peers in topics related to their health.
  • Participate in at least three community outreach events to provide education and counseling about public health family planning services.

Additional Resources

Prevention Event 4/24: Operation Fentanyl

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Join the Lifeways Prevention team for a free event aimed to educate the community about fentanyl.

Informed Minds: Operation Fentanyl will take place April 24th at 6-8 p.m. in the Ontario Middle School gymnasium (573 SW 2nd Ave, Ontario).

Topics will include:

  • What is fentanyl?
  • How is it affecting our community?
  • What can you do to stay safe?
  • Facts, resources, and data

This event will provide free Spanish translation, childcare, and a meal voucher for each family.

Register today!

This event is hosted by Lifeways, one of our community partners in our effort to prevent overdose and save lives. For more information about fentanyl from our Peer Recovery Mentors and to get free overdose reversal medications and harm reduction supplies including fentanyl test strips, visit the Malheur County Health Department at 1108 SW 4th Street in Ontario or call us at 541-889-7279.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

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National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) is an annual, week-long health observance occurring March 18th – 24th that encourages dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction. NDAFW provides an opportunity to bring together those working in the field of substance use with communities to help advance the science and address drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. The misuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans.

Fast Facts

  • 1 in 7 Americans report experiencing a substance use disorder.
  • Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among young people in the United States, with excessive drinking being responsible for more than 3,900 deaths of folks under the age of 21 each year.
  • You can take this Alcohol and Drug IQ Challenge quiz to test your knowledge about drugs and drug use.

The Malheur County Health Department offers Peer Support Services to anyone looking for help with their substance use. Certified Recovery Mentors are available 5 days per week (Monday through Friday, during business hours) to help people get Naloxone, connect with community resources, and sign up for health insurance. Our team can also connect people to medical care, treatment and counseling, and get Hepatitis C (and other communicable disease) testing and treatment.

Visit us at 1108 SW 4th Street in Ontario or call 541-889-7279 to speak with a peer support specialist.

Learn more

Save the Date: Mammogram Bus March 4th

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Saint Alphonsus Mammography Bus is coming to the Malheur County Health Department on Monday, March 4th from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Appointments required. Call 208-367-8787 to reserve your spot or find other appointments in the area.

A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. For many women, mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. Having regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Share the flyers in English and Spanish. Call us at 541-889-7279 with questions or to learn about other services the health department provides.

Learn more about breast health from the CDC here.

Overdose Response Collection

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We need your support! Please help the Malheur County Health Department collect overdose reversal data by completing this survey if you responded to an opioid overdose in Malheur County this year.

Earlier this week, Health Promotion and Prevention Supervisor, Hannah Woods, raised awareness for overdose data collection on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud radio show. Listen to the interview here.

You, too, can raise awareness for our overdose data collection effects by sharing this post and filling out our Overdose Response Survey if you respond to an overdose.

Across the country, opioid overdoses are increasing and there has been a heightened response from communities like ours to respond. Many friends, family, and bystanders are reversing overdoses with Naloxone, a life-saving medicine. However, these measures often go unreported and the data available to show how the opioid use is affecting our area does not reflect that many people are using and nearly dying. Thanks to Naloxone and people willing to respond, more people are alive and able to access treatment, including Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), which is effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders. Recovery is possible.

The MCHD Overdose Response Survey is anonymous. Collecting this information will give us a better picture of the opioid overdose epidemic happening in our community and help us plan for and adequately leverage resources, like Naloxone, accordingly. Please share the survey link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R7TBYHM. We also have the link on our MCHD Forms page for easy reference later.

Visit the Malheur County Health Department at 1108 SW 4th Street in Ontario during business hours to get free Naloxone (also called Narcan), peer support, and other substance use resources. Or call us at 541-889-7279 to talk with a peer. Learn how to respond to an opioid overdose here.  

Need help? SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Introducing Family Connects to Malheur County

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Family Connects Oregon (FCO) is a free, nurse home visiting program for all families with newborns. FCO supports parents by linking nurses, community resources, and families. Our mission is to connect you with resources that nurture your whole family and support your child. It’s about planting seeds for the future. Together, we’re growing healthy babies!

We’re excited to announce that Malheur County Health Department will start offering Family Connects to residents later this year. Family Connects Oregon is a voluntary, opt-in, evidence-based universally offered home visiting program for all families with newborns. Eventually, Family Connects will be available to all families in Oregon. Using the Family Connects model, FCO builds on Oregon’s existing home visiting programs, like Babies First!, linking families to nurses and community resources, nurturing the whole family, and creating a foundation for improved wellbeing across a newborn’s lifespan.

Heather Burrows, RN, Maternal Child Health Supervisor, is starting a Community Advisory Board and working with health care providers to prepare for the Family Connects roll out in Malheur County. Reach out to her with any questions or ideas at 541-889-7279 or heather.burrows@malheurco.org.

If you are a parent of a child 0-5 and live in Malheur County, we can connect you with another free home visiting program at the health department or one of the many excellent home visiting options in the area. Call us at 541-889-7279.

Learn more at Family Connects Oregon.

MCHD Releases Videos to Welcome All

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We are honored to share a series of outreach videos from the Malheur County Health Department. We hope seeing our team in action and hearing about what we do will reach more people. We want everyone in Malheur County to know we are here for you. We have something to offer all ages and want to be more active as a resource in our community. Thank you for watching, subscribing, and sharing!

Find our video library on YouTube here.

Thank you to the amazing team at Stoltz Group for all the work on our plans, video, and photography.

Follow Stoltz at:

September 18 is National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day

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This day brings attention to the growing number of people living long and full lives with HIV and to their health and social needs. The Malheur County Health Department supports efforts to bring awareness to the issues related to HIV and aging in our country. Through National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day, our organization is committed to putting an end to HIV/AIDS related stigma, discrimination, and misinformation about prevention care and treatment for those over 50.

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported persons aged 50 and older accounted for approximately:

  • 17% of new HIV diagnoses
  • 47% of persons with HIV
  • 71% of all deaths of persons diagnosed HIV infection

Of those individuals who were diagnosed with HIV at age 50 or older, 40% were 50-54 years of age.

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day, launched in 2008 by The AIDS Institute, is recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, and www.hiv.gov.  The campaign highlights the complex issues related to HIV prevention, care, and treatment for aging populations in the United States.  The goal of the campaign is to emphasize the need for prevention, research, and data targeting the older population, medical understanding of the aging process and its impact on HIV/AIDS.

Everyone has an HIV status. People who know their HIV status can protect themselves and others. Testing is easy, but only 37% of adult Oregonians have ever been tested for HIV. About 1,200 Oregonians are infected with HIV and don’t know it. If these people get tested and start HIV treatment medications, we could prevent 150 new infections over 3 years.

Call our clinic in Ontario for comprehensive and confidential testing at 541-889-7279. Have OHP and need a ride? We can set that up for you.

Raising awareness of hope during National Suicide Prevention Month

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In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month and National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 4-10, 2022), Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and local partners are continuing efforts to increase awareness of ways everyone can help prevent suicide.

In 2020, Oregon had the 13th highest rate of suicide in the United States, with a total of 833 deaths. Oregon’s suicide rate has stayed well above national rates since 2000. Suicide is also the second leading cause of death among youth aged 5-24.

“Suicide remains a persistent and yet largely preventable cause of death in Oregon,” said Debra Darmata, adult suicide prevention coordinator at OHA. “Every death by suicide in Oregon carries a substantial and long-lasting ripple effect into our communities. We know that suicide prevention is everyone’s business.” 

Oregon is brimming with advocates and champions for suicide prevention, including the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide. Many organizations also have ongoing social media and awareness campaigns to join.

What can you do to help?

Research shows people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way. Acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce rather than increase thoughts of suicide. We all have a part to play in reducing stigma and ensuring people have hope, feel safe asking for help, and can get access to community-based support. You can also:

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis, free help is immediately available.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, via phone, text and online chat, offering people compassionate care and support from trained crisis counselors for individuals, families or their loved ones. One does not have to be suicidal to call 988 but can reach out when experiencing any behavioral health crisis. 988 call services are available in English and Spanish, along with interpretation services in more than 150 languages. Texting 988 and online chat are currently available only in English. Veterans and military service members can call 988 and press “1” to connect with the Veterans Crisis Line.

Community Needs Assessment Survey

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We need your voice! Complete the 2023 Eastern Oregon & Western Treasure Valley Community Health Needs Assessment survey no later than Friday, September 16th. Your input helps us identify needs, drive strategic planning, and receive funding for services. Our local health systems, public health departments, and community partners are conducting this survey to gain a greater understanding of the issues our community members face. This includes all things that impact health (beyond just access to health care), like things related to where we live, work, and play.

Complete the survey here: https://tinyurl.com/24ntxzwv