The Ko-Kwel Wellness Centers in Coos Bay and Eugene provide essential healthcare for Native and non-Native populations alike, often from rural areas. Now they’re bracing for service interruptions amid looming slashes to Medicaid, a crucial funding source that helps cover existing federal funding shortfalls.
Brenda Meade, Coquille Indian Tribe Chairwoman, said the clinic offers services that are vital for her people and the local communities.
“We as tribal nations are serving some of the most vulnerable populations in our nation. We’re doing very good work,” she said. “We’re very efficient with our dollars, and we’re getting out to rural Oregon, where a lot of services are needed not just for Indian people, but community members.
The Ko-Kwel Wellness Centers serve as one-stop shops for community members to address multiple needs at once. Between the two centers, in Coos Bay and Eugene, there are laboratories, primary care physicians, pharmacies, dental services, mental health services, behavioral health services, community resources, an opioid treatment program and a rehabilitation and fitness center.