OCH perinatal team serves the Gorge

THE GORGE — “Every pregnancy is different,” said Esther Mondragon, a nurse and head of the perinatal team at One Community Health, which offers bilingual pregnancy support from pre- to post-natal care.

The other members of the team are Delphina Reyes, Vicky Valle, and Rosa Flores-Mendiola. They provide comprehensive OB services, including prenatal care, education classes, and referral support to Hood River, White Salmon, The Dalles and the surrounding area. Valle and Reyes are community health workers based in Hood River, while Flores-Mendiola and Mondragon are based out of The Dalles. Valle is featured in a recent issue of the new magazine Gorge Woman for her 30 years of work with One Community Health’s perinatal program.

The goal of the perinatal team is to provide support for new parents that doctors might not have the time to cover. “If you need education or a hug, that’s what we’re here for,” said Flores-Mendiola. “We have more time to really go into detail and understand it’s like a patient rather than a provider.”

“And we don’t have waiting lists!” Valle emphasized.

People working with the perinatal team can have their checkups, as well as needs assessments at One Community Health, and then work with their doctors to deliver at Providence in Hood River, or one of the Portland hospitals for higher risk pregnancies. The perinatal team helps patients schedule appointments and connect them with community referrals and resources. During regular appointments, they provide education at each step, as well as offering labor classes, newborn classes and breastfeeding support, which are open to the public.

“Here we’re special because we’re able to provide [wraparound] service embedded in their appointments,” said Mondragon. “We’re able to establish a relationship with them. We’re patient-centered.” This assistance removes as many barriers to care as possible through help with language barriers, transportation difficulties, and scheduling assistance with specialists.

The perinatal department has existed since 1986 when the clinic opened, and Valle and Reyes, who have worked there the longest, spoke to how special it is to develop long-term relationships with the community.

“Some of the patients, now their kids are coming in and pregnant,” said Mondragon. There are One Community Health offices in Hood River, White Salmon and The Dalles, and it will be celebrating its 40th anniversary serving the community this fall. Perinatal services are offered Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.