About

Founded in 2014, SO Health-E (Southern Oregon Health Equity Coalition) works to advance health equity across Jackson and Josephine Counties. We are one of Oregon’s Regional Health Equity Coalitions supported by the Oregon Health Authority’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, bringing community voices directly into policy and systems change.

We advance health equity by connecting community combers with policymakers, strengthening collaboration across sectors, and driving policy and systems change that remove barriers to health. Our work focuses on the social determinants of health—including housing, transportation, education, and access to care—because these conditions shape whether people can thrive.

What Are Regional Health Equity Coalitions (RHECs)?

Regional Health Equity Coalitions (RHECs) are community-led groups that identify the biggest health challenges in their regions and drive policy and systems changes to eliminate health disparities. Their work focuses on historically underserved populations, including communities of color, Tribal communities, immigrants, refugees, farmworkers, low-income families, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Our mission is to seek systems change by creating community partnerships and together promoting health equity that centers the voices of impacted community members.

Health Equity

Health equity means everyone has a fair and just opportunity to live a healthy, fulfilling life. It requires removing barriers such as poverty, racism, discrimination, and unequal access to resources, so that all people, regardless of race, gender identity, income, or ability, can reach their full potential.

Health inequities are preventable and addressing them reduces long-term costs for everyone in Oregon by:

Preventing chronic illness and reduce healthcare costs. Communities of color face higher rates of preventable diseases like high blood pressure, which leads to expensive emergency care and hospitalizations.
Improving economic stability. When people are healthier, they are more productive and engaged in the workforce, boosting Oregon’s economy.
Creating sustainable public health infrastructure that can respond to future crises quickly and effectively.

Our Mission

Cross Sector Partnerships

SO Health-E includes more than 32 cross-sector partners representing education, social services, health care, law enforcement, community-based organizations, and individual community members from across Jackson and Josephine Counties. Together, we work to identify barriers to health, share solutions, and drive policy and systems change that make a measurable difference in people’s lives.

We improve community health by:

Supporting community members to engage in advocacy and decision-making.
Partnering with organizations, public agencies, and leaders to advance policies that promote equity.
Elevating lived experience to shape systems that serve all Oregonians more effectively.

Get Involved

Everyone has a role in building a healthier, more equitable Southern Oregon

Funders and Partners

Invest in proven, community-driven strategies that create lasting policy and systems change to improve the lives of Southern Oregonians. Your partnership helps advance effective, locally informed solutions that address root causes of health disparities.

Legislators and Policy Partners

Build trust and improve health outcomes for Southern Oregon communities by partnering with SO Health-E to understand and advance equitable, community-led policies that reflect the voices and lived experiences of Southern Oregonians.

Together, we can build systems that help every Southern Oregon community thrive.

Our Impact

Each year we reach 100+ partner organizations and more than 4,000 people through trainings and community events.

Noche en Comunidad

For eight years, Noche en Comunidad has brought Spanish-speaking families together to learn, connect, and lead. Noche connects families with trusted local service providers, from legal aid and Coordinated Care Organizations, to credit unions and Rogue Community College.
Families chose every topic and presenter, and dinner and childcare are provided at every gathering.
Parent leaders have spoken to school boards and met with state legislators at the Capitol.

Policy and systems change

Since 2018 we have trained more than 630 community members, youth, and partner staff across Southern Oregon. We offer trainings in Spanish, English, and online so more people can take part.
We have advocated for the priorities of our community to the Oregon Legislature, including Medicaid equity investments and the law declaring racism a public health crisis.
Our coalition members have held seats on 19 or more state and regional boards, committees, and commissions, from the Governor's Racial Justice Council to the Oregon Universal Health Plan Governance Board since 2020.

Community health assessment

We served on the CHA and CHIP steering committee, chaired the equity subcommittee, and helped plan and distribute the survey in both English and Spanish. See the results on the All In 4 Health data dashboard.
49% more people responded to the 2023 Jackson and Josephine County Community Health Assessment than in 2018, an increase in community voice that promotes health investments where they are needed most. We helped recruit participants and co-hosted focus groups with community members who are often left out of the process.

Wildfire and pandemic response

Working with partners, we raised and distributed more than $1.25 million in relief to communities hit by the 2020 Almeda and Obenchain wildfires.
66 families who lost their homes got back into stable housing in their own communities, with first month's rent, deposit, or down payment assistance we raised.
We delivered food, water, PPE, and mental health support to Latino/a/x and Native American communities during the fires and the COVID-19 pandemic