To help create more resources for behavioral health care in Washington, the United Health Foundation established a $3.3 million grant partnership with North Olympic Healthcare Network (NOHN). Over three years, the grant will help deploy community- and school-based interventions to extend care for the health and well-being of children and their families in the Port Angeles area.

“We are excited by this opportunity to leverage community collaborations and innovative mobile delivery models to bring much needed behavioral and primary care services to those in greatest need, wherever they are," said NOHN CEO Michael Maxwell, MD. "This impactful grant funding and partnership with the United Health Foundation will help us address critical behavioral health needs in our students earlier and with fewer barriers, while also supporting community outreach to adults who are struggling with behavioral and chronic medical conditions.”

NOHN will provide behavioral health and primary care services to 1,000 students, K-12, via a mobile medical unit and offer behavioral health education to students and parents. The partnership is expected to drive a tenfold increase in the number of students accessing behavioral health services and reduce the stigma about behavioral health among children and families.

Additionally, NOHN will expand the Port Angeles Community Paramedicine program to support individuals who frequently use the local emergency department (ED) for nonemergency behavioral health or substance misuse issues, and connect them to more personalized resources.

We are pleased to welcome second-year resident physicians Nicole Jeffery, MD (left), and Caroline Jolley, MD (right), to our team of providers. Dr. Jeffery grew up in Utqiagvik, Alaska, and received her medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Jolley hails from the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, and received her medical degree from Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

Dr. Jeffery and Dr. Jolley join NOHN after completing their first year of residency at Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine Residency in Seattle. Rural Training Track (RTT) residents like Jeffery and Jolley receive their first year of training at Swedish Cherry Hill, and their second and third years of training in Port Angeles, continuing inpatient training at Olympic Medical Center, and medical specialty rotations with Olympic Medical Physicians. NOHN provides the resident physicians their home continuity ambulatory care clinic.

Resident physicians provide a full spectrum of care – from childbirth to chronic conditions – and are supervised by board-certified physicians at NOHN. The resident and the supervising physician conduct a thorough review of each patient’s health concerns.

“I chose the Rural Training Track because the medical decision-making that you learn in a rural location is very unique compared to an urban location,” said Jeffery. “My plan has always been to go back to a rural location in the future, and I wanted to be sure and get that training during residency.”

“I knew the Rural Training Track would provide top-notch education along with specialized training for how to practice medicine in a rural area.” said Jolley. “I lived in a rural town in Wyoming for almost five years before my career path led me to medical school, so I know on a personal level how important it is to be able to get excellent medical care locally, even in a small community.”