The Hope Clinic: A Place to Start if you are Pregnant

The Hope Clinic: A Place to Start if you are Pregnant

For young women who are pregnant, but cannot afford a medical professional, the Hope Clinic is the perfect place to start for free services and educates women on what to do next.

The clinic’s mission statement is “to provide medical care, education, and resources to empower individuals to make informed decisions about pregnancy and sexual health,” Destiny Molatore, executive director says.

They even provide free ultrasounds if the nurse decides that is what should be done, pregnant moms are then referred to an obstetrician to get care, and nurses even hand out a month’s worth of prenatal vitamins. The Hope Clinic refers people to doctors in the community to continue the pregnancy but does not refer anyone to an abortion clinic nor do they hand out birth control. 

There are no criteria for care, other than the fact clients expect they may be expecting.

The Hope Clinic, which has been around since 1985, helps women in the beginning of their pregnancy journey with a safe, comfortable way to verify pregnancy that will help the patient get on the Oregon Health Plan if that is needed. The clinic also gives a consultation with an advocate who can support the woman with educated answers and walks through how they feel about becoming a mother. The clinic also provides an opportunity for women to talk with a nurse who can answer any questions the patient may have about the pregnancy. The organization is faith based, meaning that they believe every life is precious and they will not refer anyone to an abortion clinic, or offer that resource.

The clinic has a medical director named Mary Powell, a local physician who volunteers her time and oversees the ultrasounds for the patients. The clinic also has a staff of 18 people, and 11 of them are volunteers. Most of the volunteers are nurses who work full time at the hospital or are retired nurses who still have their licenses.

A new feature has been added to the clinic this year, “Our goal for 2020 was to do classes for prenatal, and classes for first, second, and third trimester, and baby care after birth,” says Molatore.  They were able to accomplish their goal and now offer over 100 classes online that are accessible through mobile or email. If a patient completes about two classes that are less than 30 minutes, they are able to receive a goody bag with baby items or a voucher to Kids Cents.

Their long-term goal is to walk alongside a patient through the whole pregnancy They also hope to later have people from other organizations in the community to come and educate women and talk with them about breast feeding, pregnancy, or have support groups.

The Hope Clinic is open from Tuesday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clients are able to make appointments through their website or through calling their number: (541) 672-2609.

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