OYEN Emotional Wellness Center Announces Latino Closed Loop Referral Program

WOODBURN, Ore.- OYEN Emotional Wellness Center has introduced the Latino Closed Loop Referral Program, a groundbreaking opportunity designed to provide comprehensive care tailored to the needs of the Latino community, aiming to enhance healthcare outcomes and overall life satisfaction. The referral program went into effect on January 1, 2024, and is slated to operate for two years. It was established through the support of the Community Health Excellence (CHE) grant provided to OYEN by PacificSource.

OYEN will work closely with Salud Medical Center of Yakima Valley Farmworkers Clinic, Willamette Family Medical Center, and La Clínica de Guadalupe, to provide extended outpatient mental health care for patients referred by the clinic’s integrated Behavioral Health Clinicians (BHC). Together, OYEN and the patient’s care team will ensure coordinated care, sharing routine progress, goals, and recommendations. Appointment frequency is tailored to the patient's needs.

Diane Bocking-Byrd, Chief Operations Officer at OYEN, states “The PacificSource Community Health Excellence grant is allowing us to create integrated care in a new visualized continuum which has not existed for our Latino communities before. This will provide a holistic approach addressing the needs of individuals comprehensively and uniquely.”

The Oregon Latino population has the highest rate of cardiometabolic disease. Depression and anxiety serve as secondary to cardiometabolic potential or pre-indicators. Early intervention is vital for implementing preventive measures to improve health outcomes. The referral program will establish a streamlined process connecting primary care to outpatient mental health, fostering communication and collaboration between providers to enhance the well-being of the Latino community. It will aim to boost patient and provider satisfaction, improve health outcomes through early intervention and prevention, and increase access to behavioral health care for Latinos in Oregon.

Valeria Manning, ND at La Clínica de Guadalupe, states “The population I serve is primarily of Latino descent, and like other cultures, there remains an unfavorable and sometimes apprehensive attitude toward behavioral health therapy. With additional support from OYEN’s referral coordinator and outreach program, we can work to rewrite this social narrative into one that is better informed.”

Bocking-Byrd emphasizes that the referral program exists because of OYEN, and she attributes this accomplishment to Melinda Avila, OYEN’s CEO. OYEN is among one of only four female-owned, person-of-color-led clinics nationwide serving all of Oregon. OYEN is committed to providing quality behavioral health services with a team of highly qualified licensed professionals, 90% of whom are bicultural and bilingual.

Those interested in accessing care through the referral program should inquire about the Latino Closed Loop Referral Program during their next wellness visit with their primary care physician. 

For more information about the referral program, call OYEN at 503-395-4224. OYEN has offices located in Woodburn and Salem offering appointments either in-person or via telehealth.

About OYEN: OYEN Emotional Wellness Center is a bilingual and bicultural clinic that offers an array of mental health support for all ages. OYEN consists of a group of highly qualified English and Spanish-speaking Licensed Professionals who meet the mental health needs of our communities. For more information on OYEN, visit the website at www.oyenwellness.com.

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