The Oregon Health Leadership Council (OHLC), 211info, and Unite Us have announced the launch of the Connect Oregon Public Resource Directory (PRD), an expansion of the state’s Connect Oregon network that enables individuals, community health workers (CHWs), and care providers to quickly identify and share local community-based services.
This public-facing directory builds upon the Connect Oregon network, which was launched in 2020. Powered by Unite Us in partnership with OHLC, 211info, Oregon Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs), and health systems, the network has facilitated care coordination, closed-loop referrals, and community-based organization (CBO) reimbursements across the state. To date, Connect Oregon has served nearly 80,000 Oregonians through more than 150,000 referrals addressing critical drivers of health such as housing, food, utilities, and transportation. The network also supports workflows for Oregon’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver, facilitating over $30 million in Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) reimbursements to service providers. The new PRD extends the network’s reach directly to the public, reinforcing Oregon’s commitment to a “no wrong door” approach to care.
Taylor Justice, CEO and Co-Founder of Unite Us, stated, “The launch of the Connect Oregon Public Resource Directory marks a major step forward in making whole-person care truly accessible across the state. By bringing trusted community resources directly to the public, we’re extending the power of Connect Oregon beyond traditional care settings and helping more Oregonians find support when and where they need it.” Unite Us, founded in 2013 by Military Veterans, is a technology provider integrating health and community-based care, offering a closed-loop referral system with data and analytics tools.
The Connect Oregon PRD offers several key features, including free, no-login access to community resources, translation into more than 160 languages for broad accessibility, simple resource sharing options via text, email, or printable formats, and flexible integration allowing organizations to embed the directory into patient portals, websites, or internal systems. It also includes a data dashboard providing de-identified insights into top searches and unmet needs, which supports service planning and gap identification.
211info, Oregon’s statewide non-emergency resource helpline, plays a critical role in maintaining the accuracy and quality of the Connect Oregon directory. The PRD leverages a long-standing relationship between 211info and Unite Us, where 211info already uses Unite Us’ platform to provide high-touch, closed-loop care coordination through its Care Coordination center.
Dan Herman, CEO at 211info, commented, “By sharing 211info’s resource data through the Connect Oregon Public Resource Directory, we’re supporting our commitment to health and social care integration. This directory is a useful tool for professionals to connect people to the help they need, and furthers accessibility and utilization of services for communities across Oregon.”
Beyond expanding public access via the Connect Oregon site, the new PRD creates opportunities for Oregon partners to offer self-service options within their own trusted ecosystems. Partners can embed this PRD functionality into their websites, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and other client-facing tools.
Liz Whitworth, Managing Director for the Oregon Health Leadership Council, noted, “OHLC has provided convening support for the Connect Oregon network since its development phase in 2019, and was pleased to support the launch of Connect Oregon in 2020 with the founding partners. Supporting secure and efficient ways to coordinate whole person care is central to OHLC key initiatives and we look forward to the continued growth statewide of the Connect Oregon network.” OHLC, formed in 2008, is a collaborative organization comprising leaders from hospital systems, medical groups, health plans, and associations, focused on advancing equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare in Oregon.
Health plans, providers, CBOs, and public sector partners in Oregon interested in establishing their own customized PRD can connect with OHLC or Unite Us for further information.
