Interdisciplinary Assessment of a Community at Risk: Washington County Community Corrections

Abstract

Physician assistant students, with faculty oversight, conducted a health needs assessment of inmates at the Washington County Corrections facility in Hillsboro, Oregon. Based on the results of the health questionnaire, a recommendation was put forward for the development of a cooperative team with Pacific University, Washington County Public Health and Virginia Garcia to provide expanded health care to this population. Such an interdisciplinary effort could include: physical exams by the Physician Assistant program, vision screening by the College of Optometry, dental cleaning by the Dental Health Science program, and counseling by the School of Professional Psychology.