OHSU mourns the passing of Avel Gordly
The Oregon Health & Science University community mourns the passing of Avel Gordly, L.H.D., the first Black woman to serve in the Oregon Senate and namesake of the OHSU Avel Gordly Center for Healing.
The center, which was established in 2008, provides psychiatric care and Afrocentric, culturally responsive services.
Gordly, who grew up in North Portland, went on to represent her home neighborhood and surrounding communities in state government. She first served in the Oregon House of Representatives and was later elected in 1996 to the state Senate. During her time in the state legislature, she championed social justice, civil rights, education reform and mental health reform.
“Her impact and influence on how we better care for our communities will last for years to come, and her dedication to learning continues at OHSU,” said Monique Jones, M.D., director of the center and an associate professor of psychiatry in the OHSU School of Medicine. “The Avel Gordly Center for Healing will continue to heal, using trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices for patients and engaging the community through teaching and training.”
The center includes two psychiatrists, one psychologist and five licensed professional counselors who see between 300 and 500 patients annually. The clinic sees people of all ethnicities, striving to provide culturally specific care to all.
“The majority of providers are Black, which is unique,” Jones said. “It can be very helpful for patients to have a provider who is a reflection of their community.”
Gordly shared her own family’s struggles with mental health in her 2011 memoir, “Remembering the Power of Words: The Life of an Oregon Activist, Legislator, and Community Leader.”
Jones said Gordly’s experience continues to inspire the work of the center to this day.
“She had a beautiful spirit, both inside and out,” Jones said. “She was someone who was truly invested in caring for people and making sure people not only felt heard but also supported.”
Services offered at the center include psychiatric evaluation and medication management, individual psychotherapy, and couples, family and group therapy.