Coalition of Community Health Clinics

Mu Mu, a CareOregon member, received a letter about her health care in the mail. It was written in English and hard to follow. Since Burmese is her first language, she couldn't fully understand what this letter was trying to tell her.

Experiences like this can create fear and anxiety for members, including stress over insurance loss, billing and missed care. Research also shows language barriers lower trust in providers.

That’s where a Traditional Health Worker comes in.

Mu Mu brought the letter to a CareOregon community event, where she met Ski‑Ter Say, a Health Navigator and Enrollment Specialist with the Coalition of Community Health Clinics (CCHC). Speaking with her in Burmese, Say explained what the letter meant and helped Mu Mu connect to the necessary resources to get it resolved. That first conversation opened the door for Mu Mu—she’d found a place and person she could trust to help navigate her health care needs.

Over time, Say also assisted Mu Mu in accessing mental health care and supported her in becoming a home care worker, a career Mu Mu strived for.

"Before I met Ski, it was really hard because I didn't know where to go or what to do," Mu Mu said in Burmese, translated by Say. "But after I met her, she helped me and supported me in many ways. Now my life is easier and less stressful."

Our partnership with Coalition of Community Health Clinics

CCHC works with clinics and community partners statewide to help people get health care, understand their benefits and move through a system that can often feel unclear, especially for those facing language and cultural barriers.

CareOregon partners with CCHC's Traditional Health Workers in several ways, including community outreach events led by our Connect to Care team, where members receive hands-on, real-time support. We also invest in and collaborate with Traditional Health Workers from other community partner organizations to help members enroll in and keep Oregon Health Plan coverage and navigate a health care system that can otherwise feel overwhelming. This support may include scheduling medical appointments, arranging transportation, providing translation services, resolving medical bills, accessing food resources and connecting members to housing or employment support.

Building trust

Beyond health navigation support, and just as important, is the trust CCHC Traditional Health Workers build with members. Many share language and cultural backgrounds with the communities they serve, helping members feel confident engaging with the health care system, as seen in the relationship between Sky and Mu Mu.
"Building trust is really important," Say said. "When members feel listened to and understood, they're more comfortable believing in the health system."

Real impact for members

Thanks to our partnership with CCHC, 121 members received essential services in 2025. Together with CCHC we assisted an additional 50 individuals - many of whom were not yet members - with applying for Oregon Health Plan coverage. Access to health coverage helps individuals receive services that improve stability and reduce barriers to care.

"Communities know how they best receive services," said Shawn DeCarlo, Director of Community Impact at CareOregon. Nhân viên y tế truyền thống là một phần quan trọng trong hệ thống y tế của chúng ta và thường cũng là những người gần gũi với cộng đồng nhất. Our partnership supports this workforce and helps CareOregon better understand how to meet people where they are and provide services that best fit the community's needs." 

Learn more about how CareOregon supports members through our work with Traditional Health Workers.  

Coalition of Community Health Clinics is one of 12 partners in CareOregon’s  Metro Traditional Health Workers network. Together we provide culturally responsive, trusted support that help members navigate care and address barriers to health.