About Us
Our Community
The Oregon Public Health Association is a collective of public health sector professionals, including educators, administrators, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, nonprofit executives, students, and recent graduates.
Our members are community health workers, epidemiologists, scientists, nurses, doctors, nutritionists, dentists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, health educators, researchers, community leaders, and citizens from all walks of life who share a commitment to public health in Oregon.
Our membership includes individuals and organizations in all regions across the state, providing OPHA with a strong combination of grassroots support and technical expertise. We succeed by bringing together the power of our members with community organizing, coalition building, public and professional education, and advocacy.
Our Mission
The Mission of the Oregon Public Health Association is to:
- Advocate for policies that protect and promote health and health equity for all people in Oregon, and
- Provide learning, collaboration, and leadership opportunities for public health professionals and the broader community
Our Vision
Community: We provide a platform where public health professionals come together to advance the public’s health.
Membership: We support each other and the organization through professional education, development and networking.
Policy: We engage our members and the larger public health community to develop and support just and equitable public health policies.
Education: We provide professional development and learning opportunities to the public health community and to communities across the state.
Our Values
- Community
- Partnership
- Inclusion and Equity
- Learning
- Action
- Organizational Sustainability
- Optimism
- Honesty
Our Work
We strive to ensure all who live in Oregon have quality public health services and policies that protect, promote, and preserve their health. Our focus areas include:
- Health Policy and Advocacy - OPHA members from across the state work together to identify the most pressing health problems and create solutions. We mobilize communities and educate leaders so that public policy in Oregon meaningfully advances health and health equity.
- Public Health Leadership and Learning - OPHA has hosted Oregon's annual public health conference for 80 years, offering cutting edge research and analysis of issues by leaders in the field. Members and sections support a variety of educational and training opportunities throughout the year.
- Networking and Building Partnerships - Public health is a uniquely diverse field, encompassing interests ranging from transportation planning and urban development to farming and food policy, to environmental regulation and rural health. OPHA provides a unique opportunity for people representing the broad spectrum of institutions, organizations, and communities across Oregon to unite around our common interest in promoting health.
Our Board of Directors
The OPHA Board of Directors is a 19-member body of public health professionals who are actively working on goals and strategies related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice, statewide partnerships, organizational fiscal health, climate resilience, rural-health, and workforce development. The Board of Directors employs their collective expertise to guide the organizational strategy which brings our mission, vision and values to life.
Our History
The Oregon Public Health Association was founded in 1944 by a coalition dedicated to promoting public health in Oregon. For 80 years, OPHA has convened professionals and volunteers who work together to advance health and health equity. Incorporated as a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit in 2000, OPHA is an affiliate of the American Public Health Association, which is the largest association of public health professionals in the nation.
Board Official Statements
In 2020, the OPHA Board of Directors voted to approve official statements on climate change, water fluoridation, public charge and anti-racism.
|
