Healing the whole person: The first tribal opioid treatment program in Oregon
Addiction impacts every aspect of a person's life: their family, work and spirit. To address the impact of opioid addiction on their members and the community as a whole, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde recently opened a new tribal-led opioid treatment clinic – the first of its kind in Oregon.
As planning for the program was underway, the Tribe approached Gard to help create a unique identity for the clinic and promote it to their audiences through a user-friendly website.
Now open and taking patients, the Great Circle Recovery clinic in Salem removes barriers to recovery and provides same-day access to treatment. The system of care is built around spiritual and cultural practices that promote healing for the whole person. This holistic approach is unique among opioid treatment programs. The Tribe is now planning a second clinic for Portland.
User-centered design to support a holistic mission
We designed the Great Circle Recovery website to reflect the spiritual and cultural values of the Tribe and to support their mission of holistic health. As a result, the site is highly user-centric as well as visually soothing. The information architecture puts the most pertinent information front-and-center – phone number, clinic hours, address, and transportation options – recognizing the needs of its primary audiences, who are typically in crisis when they seek care.
Messaging is short, simple and on point, without the usual healthcare jargon or unnecessary detail. The imagery is of local fauna and flora, leading with a purple camas flower motif that is significant to the Tribe, also used in the clinic’s decor.
We also designed the site to welcome native and non-native patients alike, since the Tribe is dedicated to helping all those in need.
In the logo we created, the mountain silhouette symbolizes Grand Ronde’s Spirit Mountain. The circle represents rebirth and healing. The logo and the name are symbolic of the four directions of the Medicine Wheel.
At Gard, we felt privileged and excited to be trusted with this work, as it challenged and engaged us in areas where we are particularly passionate: health equity, respecting and celebrating all cultures, and making Oregon a healthier place.
The new Great Circle Salem clinic was recently featured on KLCC, the NPR station in the Willamette Valley. You can read the article and listen to the radio segment here: Oregon’s First Tribally-Run Opioid Clinic Prepares To Make A Difference.