Mosaic's Commitment to Accessible Care

A local nonprofit is committed to making health care in Central Oregon more accessible, affordable and convenient. With seven health centers, seven school-based health centers and a mobile clinic that parks at a variety of local service centers throughout the region, Mosaic Community Health continues to increase its efforts in providing care.

Mosaic Community Health is a local health provider, offering services and support to people who need it. The nonprofit provides medical, dental, nutrition, pharmacy and behavioral health care for people of all ages. Between July 2022 and June 2023, Mosaic provided care for 26,000 patients.

The organization has several health centers across Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras and Sisters, as well as its mobile clinic that sets up at certain locations to offer convenient care.

“We try to make sure we are getting to people no matter where they are, and where the need is,” said Emily Boynton, senior development officer at Mosaic. “We don’t want anyone to leave our clinic without the care they need and the attention and follow-up that they need as well.”

Mosaic’s nearly 45-foot van parks at community organizations, providing frequent services at locations such as The Lighthouse and Family Kitchen in Bend. The truck acts as a mobile clinic offering total care to individuals, complete with a waiting room, medical services and resources and a private, enclosed exam room.

The mobile clinic is loaded with hygiene and health products, given out to customers for free. The schedule for the mobile clinic is set every two weeks, according to Boynton, and can be found on Mosaic’s website or through social services.

“We really rely heavily upon our partnerships in the community. Those kinds of nonprofits are really essential in order to spread the word about all the resources,” said Boynton. “Coming together in one spot so that we can provide those resources is important.”

Mosaic is looking to expand beyond the mobile clinic to reach more people, wherever they may call home. “We’re branching out to more of a street medicine outreach program, where we take our backpacks and get out there and find people in the community,” said Boynton.

The nonprofit started about 21 years ago with its first clinic in Prineville. After seeing a growing need in the community, Mosaic’s leaders quickly expanded into Bend and Madras, where they’ve been for 15 years.

The organization continues to adjust and expand its operations every year. In 2020, Mosaic opened its first retail pharmacy, which helps anyone, including those who aren’t Mosaic patients.

In addition to its health centers, pharmacies and mobile clinic, Mosaic also has several school-based health centers, offering care for children up to 18 years old on school grounds. In October, the Sisters health center expanded its operations from two to four days a week, in partnership with St. Charles Health System and Deschutes County.

Mosaic accepts all insurance, including commercial insurance. Some 80% of their patients are either on Medicaid, Medicare or are uninsured.

“I’ve been working in nonprofit for 15 years now, over 15 years, and I’ve never seen this kind of daily impact on people’s lives, a really lasting and changing on their lives, too. It’s very inspiring,” Boynton said.

This article appears in Source Weekly November 9, 2023.