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In this issue: |
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A meeting of Going Home II staff and clients
“People’s lives are being saved,” said James Demry, Recovery Resource Center manager at Going Home II, a Portland-based organization that offers reintegration support to previously incarcerated people, as well as behavioral health services focused on Black and Brown communities.
Funding from Measure 110 has helped the organization add behavioral health staff, increase services for people seeking support for substance use disorder (SUD), and better collaborate with fellow local SUD providers.
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When emergencies such as storms, fires and floods threaten Oregon communities, it’s imperative to have a plan—one that protects the most vulnerable and uses resources wisely.
The people of Oregon know best what they need when emergencies happen, and that’s why the state’s Department of Emergency Management (OEM) wants to hear from them. OEM seeks input from communities and individuals across the state with an interest in helping shape the future of emergency management in Oregon.
The agency is looking for feedback on the draft framework for its 2023-2025 strategic plan—a blueprint for how the agency plans to deliver customer service to communities and partners across the state prior to, during and after an emergency. Read the framework here.
To participate:
- Take this brief survey by April 30 to share your view of OEM’s mission, vision and values.
- Attend a virtual community town hall where you can share your thoughts and discuss key strategies for how OEM can better serve the whole community.
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WHEN: Wednesday, March 27, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
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WHERE: Virtual on Microsoft Teams, click here to join.
No emergency management expertise or prior experience is necessary, and all are welcome to take part. Closed captioning will be provided, as well as ASL interpretation, and a video and audio transcript of the town hall will be available upon request after the event. If you have any questions, please reach out to OEM_publicinfo@oem.oregon.gov.
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Health notes |
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2023 saw an almost 30% increase in the number of prescriptions written for Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) medication, according to a DWDA report.
The increase is partly due to lawmakers amending the law to allow out-of-state residents to become DWDA patients. The number of prescriptions written for the lethal medication rose from 433 in 2022 to 560 in 2023. The number of DWDA patients who ingested the medication rose from 304 in 2022 to 367 in 2023.
Among Oregon’s DWDA deaths in 2023:
- 82% were age 65+; 66% had cancer.
- The youngest patient was 29; the oldest was 102.
- 5% outlived their six-month terminal prognosis.
- A physician, health care provider or trained volunteer was present at 54% of ingestions.
- At least 10 patients experienced complications, most of which involved difficulty ingesting the medication, such as a burning sensation in the throat or partial regurgitation of medication. No patients regained consciousness after ingesting the DWDA medication.
People in Oregon now have a resource to track the spending progress of about $230 million in behavioral health investments.
The new interactive Adult Behavioral Health Housing and Residential Treatment dashboard tracks:
- $100 million in grants awarded to every Oregon county.
- $130 million awarded to statewide social service providers.
The dashboard breaks down investments by county, and includes timelines, outcomes and populations served.
The $230 million will pay for nearly 500 residential treatment beds and more than 550 behavioral health housing units.
Residential treatment beds are licensed by the state and provide 24/7 services and supports for people with chronic behavioral health challenges. Behavioral health housing units are not licensed by the state and provide safe, temporary housing for people as they transition from homelessness to permanent housing.
The new dashboard is an offshoot of the Behavioral Housing and Treatment dashboard unveiled in November 2023. That dashboard tracks all of Oregon’s investments in behavioral health services, including Measure 110.
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OHA answers your questions |
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Questions are answered by experts at OHA and other state agencies or community partners.
Q: I'm a healthy, active 73-year-old who has had all the COVID vaccines, including the one released in fall of 2023. I now see that the CDC is recommending that persons over 65 get another booster. But I was infected with COVID and had mild symptoms in February 2024. Should I still get the booster, or was the active infection an adequate substitute? – Bruce, Bend
A: You should still get the booster, but your recent COVID-19 infection should protect you for about 90 days. Neither the vaccine nor a past infection can protect you 100% from getting infected, but either way you are well protected against serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. After 90 days, however, consider getting that booster. We have seen summer surges of COVID-19 in the past, so in that respect we can’t lump it in with other respiratory viruses and let our guards down during the warmer months.
Q: I am over 65 and therefore eligible for a COVID booster shot. However, I recently got a steroid shot in one of my wrists for tendonitis, and it's my understanding steroids suppress immune response (including from vaccines). How long should I wait after receiving a steroid shot before I get the COVID- booster shot? – Michael, Sisters
A: Steroids certainly suppress the immune system somewhat, and the steroid shot you recently received for tendonitis may cause you to not respond quite as well to the COVID vaccine. That is, your immune response to the vaccine could be weaker than it otherwise might be, making the vaccine slightly less effective. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely to hinder your immune response completely. Except in the case of live-virus vaccines (COVID vaccine is not one of them), there is no recommendation to delay or avoid vaccination before or after receiving steroids.
If you have questions about health topics in Oregon, submit your question here. Although we are unable to answer every question, we try to address those of interest to a broad audience. Please understand that we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
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If you need mental health support for any reason, help is out there.
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