Community Roots Wellness Hub opens in White Salmon; presenters seek city support for operations

Mayor Marla Keethler introduced a presentation on the Community Roots Wellness Hub, a co-located behavioral health and community supports site now operating on the west side of Klickitat County in the former Comprehensive Healthcare building.

Rita Pinchot, a mental health therapist, and Kay Elton, a licensed independent clinical social worker, said the Hub began operating in September 2025 and is a collaborative model developed through the K-Link collaborative. Current partners include Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) community mental health workers and a Perinatal Initiative; the presenters said additional partners and group-based programming are possible as policies and partner criteria are finalized.

Pinchot and Elton said start-up funding came from Southwest Accountable Communities of Health (SWACH) with support from Hot Creek Consulting to cover rent, renovations and furnishings for an initial two-year period. They said the Hub is developing policies, a needs list for donated items, and anticipates finalizing partner selection and space-use policy by the end of January 2026. Presenters requested City assistance in outreach, event promotion and facility logistics; Councilmembers suggested exploring use of outdoor space for community activation and offered to connect the Hub with city resources.

Pinchot and Elton advised interim referrals and inquiries should be directed to WAGAP and said they plan to hire dedicated staff to improve accessibility and operations as funding and capacity allow. Mayor Keethler thanked the presenters and expressed the Citys interest in continued partnership and future updates.