The Wellness Center
New and Expanded Services
The new building will provide imaging, mental health care, dental services, and specialty care—all close to home. You won’t have to travel to Bend.
Why We Need the New Wellness Center
Since 2009, La Pine Community Health Center (LCHC) has served our area, helping people from Sunriver to Crescent and Christmas Valley. Thousands rely on us for check-ups, illness care, counseling, prescriptions, medical equipment, rides to appointments, and referrals to other services.
Our community has grown a lot. LCHC is now a local healthcare home where everyone is welcome to receive care, not just those with low income or insurance problems. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), we help people with financial challenges who cannot get the care they need. Many of those patients receive free or low-cost care, vouchers, transportation to appointments, classes, meals, and screenings. LCHC has been a lifeline for many and a great convenience for all. Unlike in larger metropolitan areas, telehealth is not an option as many of the patients in our service area face connectivity issues.
The time has come to step up to meet even more needs of our residents. Our new building—which we refer to as the Wellness Center—will enable people to receive mammograms, ultrasounds, CT scans, mental health services, and dental services without having to travel to Bend.
New Wellness Center
Our La Pine campus will expand with a new 3-story building, covering 27,000 square feet, more than doubling our current space. We will also remodel the existing building and add 63 more parking spaces. Here is a snapshot of what is envisioned for the new space which will be located at 51615 Bluewood Avenue, La Pine, OR 97739:
- More patients will access services close to home, making it easier to get care—especially in bad weather.
- Addition of a dental clinic for our patients will result in better preventative oral care and treatments for the whole family.
- New imaging center will encourage more people to receive regular mammograms, CT scans, and ultrasound imaging. This will result in earlier detection of cancers and other serious medical conditions and will relieve stress on the Bend market as capacity increases in south County.
- With over 5,000 square feet dedicated to mental health services, we aim to expand access to care in South County. This will allow faster support for behavioral health needs and smooth transitions from primary care, where many issues are first identified.
- A childcare center for staff’s children. This helps staff connect with their kids while at work.
- A large conference room with remote conferencing technology will enhance our community education programs, staff training, and interaction with outside groups and individuals.
- Moving administrative staff to the Wellness Center will make room for four more primary care providers, increasing our team to 14 and boosting care capacity by 45%. This expansion will help serve our growing community and shorten wait times for appointments.
Timeline and Funding Plan
We started planning this project over two years ago. We have received grants, hired an architect and contractor, and launched a $5 million fundraising campaign called Building for a Healthy Community to help pay for the $14 million cost. The Groundbreaking Ceremony is on August 10, 2023. We expect to finish the project by late 2024. During the next 18 months, we will work together to achieve the goals of the capital campaign and remain debt-free.
Let’s Build It Together!
We are grateful for the great work done by both our staff and elected officials to secure critical support from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Oregon State Legislature and Congress, through Congressionally Directed Spending.
As we move into the public phase of our campaign, we will rely on the generosity of individuals, foundations, businesses, and organizations to fill the remaining gap in funding. La Pine Community Health Center will also utilize financial reserves that have been segregated for use on this project.
Picture this: The new Wellness Center will be one of the tallest buildings in La Pine and a real centerpiece and landmark in our community. It will also be an architecturally interesting structure—imagine the view from your dental chair and the beautiful quality of light streaming in through those large windows. With ample parking and a heated sidewalk to take you safely from the exam room to the imaging center during our winter months, you’ll be glad to not be on the road between La Pine and Bend. Join us in making this happen!
Giving Opportunities & Donor Recognition
You can sponsor specific parts of the project, such as:
All gifts will be used wisely and acknowledged in accordance with the wishes of the donor and the needs of the organization.
Ways to Give
A gift can be made in a number of ways, with every gift used wisely to fulfill the mission, work, and projects of La Pine Community Health Center.
Campaign Committee
Capital Campaign Committee
- Patrick Jackson, chair
- Gene Bowman
- Kathy DeBone
- Ethel Dumon
- Ann Gawith
- Patricia Lucas
- Helen Marston
- Robin Mirrassoul
- Mary Peterson
- Aaron Schofield
Staff Representatives on Committee:
- Erin Trapp, CEO
- Courtney Ignazzitto, Marketing & Communications Manager
- Allan Flood, Grant Writer
Capital Campaign Contact Information:
Courtney Ignazzitto
Marketing & Communications Manager
(541) 876-2135
Patrick Jackson
Campaign Committee Chair
(541) 241-2982
Additional Resources:
Features and Benefits of Wellness Center
LCHC Myth Busters