Alberta Street Stories

Community Activist. Physician Assistant. Leader. Advocate. Mentor. Husband and Father. Josiah Hill, III was all of these and so much more.  He envisioned a Portland community where there would be no need for blood-lead level testing for its children. As a board member of the Oregon chapter Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), Josiah Hill met Dr. Richard Bayer in 1997. They joined forces on the lead issue. With the primary goal of decreasing the risk of childhood lead poisoning, Josiah created an alliance between PSR and the Coalition of Black Men (COBM). By 1998 Josiah and Dr. Bayer hit their stride when the volunteer testing program began working with SKIP (Screen Kids, Inform Parents). Children in high-risk populations were screened for early diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues. Josiah Hill’s conviction and gentle manner broadened the coalition further to include PSR, COBM, Common Bond, Volunteers of America, Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Division. He orchestrated the opening of a volunteer-staffed free lead-testing clinic.

[source http://www.jhillclinic.org/about/history]