Sacagawea Health Center History
A Brief History
In 2000, St. Helens School District Nurse Robin Loper discovered a huge
shortfall in the healthcare needs of local students. Lack of local access, changes to the Oregon Health Plan and various other
factors created a gap in comprehensive healthcare service for local school-aged children.
With the backing of Northwest Health Foundation, Legacy Health Systems and St. Helens School
District, Robin founded Sacagawea Health Center, staffing it with a highly skilled nurse practitioner and dedicated health
care assistants.
The Health Center now serves hundreds of students each year with medical and mental health
services. The Health Center has also had a profound impact in reducing disciplinary citations for students who have received
mental health therapy.
Sacagawea Health Center is a 501c(3) non-profit corporation and certified with the State
of Oregon as a School-Based Health Center. The corporation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. It is the goal of
Sacagawea Health Center to have representation on the board from all of our community partners including; Legacy Health System,
St. Helens School District, Columbia County Public Health Department, Columbia Community Mental Health and the community at
large. If you would be interested in serving on our board please contact us for a board application.
Sacagawea Health Center Board of Directors
2013
Blair Walter - President
and Board Chair
Diane Dillard - Board Vice-Chair
and Past President
Sherrie Ford, MPH - Secretary
Dan Garrison, CPA - Treasurer
Robin Loper, RN, BSN - Program Director, Founder
Joan Owens, RN - Board Member
Joyce Torrence, RN - Board Member
Kevin Walding - Board Member
Jeff McDonald, MD - Board Member
Naiyar Azhar, MD - Honorary Board Member
