Mission Statement

ORPRN's mission is to improve health for all Oregonians through community engaged research, education, and policy.

Director's Message

I started last year by emphasizing the dramatic changes underway, and indeed, the year remained particularly turbulent for health care and research in the US. Despite the headwinds, ORPRN was very productive conducting over 82 studies and projects across Oregon. 

This included hosting 35 Extension for Community Health Outcome (ECHO) Programs, delivering 40 Technical Assistance Events, and involving 8,414 participants in research. The 2024-2025 ORPRN Annual Impact Report spotlights these accomplishments and more — I encourage you to take a few moments to review it.

Enter 2026. I'm preparing as I do in a normal year, blocking my calendar, strategizing around deadlines and team structure. But if I've learned anything since 2020....it's that there might not be a year that's "normal" again. Thus, each year I reaffirm a goal to learn how to lead and succeed during times of complex change. 

The challenges of working within a dynamic environment requires new ways of thinking. Last year a colleague shared an article titled "The New Dynamics of Strategy: Sense-making in a complex-complicated world" by Kurtz and Snowden (2003). It challenges basic assumptions around decision making and has some interesting lessons. One lesson is framed around perceiving organizational decisions as a product of the interactions of the people within that organization. And, that people are influenced by their multiple experiences, because “we all, individually and collectively, have many roots, cultural, religious, geographic, tribal" — a rough translation of the Welsh word "cynefin". Another lesson emphasizes the need to realize that we operate in orderly, complex, and chaotic contexts, and that each requires different leadership strategies and tools.

Perhaps a good example of this is the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, which represents a dramatic shift in support for rural health care. The State of Oregon received its official Notice of Award for $197.3 million dollars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to “improve access to high-quality, reliable care and support long-term improvements in health outcomes for rural communities.” The ORPRN team came together quickly to take part in Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) statewide engagement to provide input to this proposal. As this work launches, OHA is starting to work with many of ORPRN’s rural partners throughout Oregon on community-driven projects, and we are excited to see the transformation that the year might bring. 

For me, this year is about going back to the basics. For ORPRN this means leading educational, health policy, and research activities that serve the needs of rural Oregonians and help improve access to and quality of health care. As an individual and leader, this coming year I plan to focus on kindness, connection, excellence, and cultivating safety and belonging in the places we can. I also seek to support my team and colleagues in making time for rest, recovery, and celebration throughout the year. I think 2026 (and beyond) will continue to be dynamic. I am hopeful that by drawing together and remembering our basics we will continue to find ways to thrive as individuals and organizations. 

— Melinda Davis, Ph.D., ORPRN Director

We are pleased to announce the release of the 2024-2025 ORPRN Impact Report with highlights of key milestones and projects from the past year. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, ORPRN funding totaled more than $9.3M, encompassing over 80 projects. Achievements include hosting 40 technical assistance events, publishing 18 research articles, offering 35 ECHO programs, and working with 8,414 research participants. Over the year, we partnered with nearly 129 clinical practices and 115 other organizations, including health plans, public health departments, and community partners across Oregon. This work aimed to accomplish our mission to advance health through community partnered research, education, and health policy.

We hope you take a moment to review the Impact Report and learn about our efforts to improve the health of Oregonians. On behalf of ORPRN Leadership, we would like to thank all our dedicated partners throughout the state that make this work possible.