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In this issue: |
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Now wrapping up his freshman year studying public health and policy at Willamette University, Lane Shaffer reflects on his experience during the pandemic creating and hosting a podcast that promoted mental health resources for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth.
“This was a transformative experience for me. The podcast gave me a platform to share my experiences, find community with other youth, and have honest conversations related to our mental health.” – Lane Shaffer, from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Conversations in Equity blog
It was 2020—a time when crisis centers received increased calls from LGBTQ+ community members struggling with social isolation, lack of resources and a toxic sociopolitical environment. The levels of suicide ideation and attempts within the LGBTQ+ community were especially concerning.
Shaffer was a 15-year-old member of the Multnomah County Youth Action Council (YAC), which received grant funding for the “All in My Head” podcast in collaboration with OHA, the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide, and the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs (AOCMHP). Including the podcast, more than 20 community-led projects in Oregon were made possible by grants aimed at reducing risk for suicide among LGBTQ+ people. Learn more about those projects here.
“Lane’s blog post and his continued work in public health and public policy represent the many positive ripple effects we’ve seen from the grant program,” said AOCMHP’s Kris Bifulco, who developed and administered the grant program which was partially funded by the CDC. “We were excited when the CDC wanted to share the benefits of our work on their Conversations in Equity blog, which we felt would be best shared through the lens of one of our grantees.”
Though some grant projects wrapped up in 2022, several grantee organizations have secured additional funding to keep their work going. For more information, email Kris Bifulco at kbifulco@aocmhp.org.
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If you have a disabled parking placard, you can now have multiple placards to give to caregivers and drivers who don’t live with you.
The new rule comes after two Oregon parents sharing custody of their child with a disability had trouble keeping track of the sole disabled parking placard issued by the Oregon Department of Transportation Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV).
That situation led to the passage of a state law allowing more than one placard, which may apply to situations such as:
- Families caring for a disabled child who shares their time between multiple homes;
- An older parent being cared for by adult children who don’t live with them; or
- Caregivers or friends/non-relatives who routinely provide transportation for a disabled person but who don’t live with them.
To benefit from the new rule, apply for a “Family Disabled Parking Permit.” The applicant must list and certify all drivers on the application, providing a different address for each driver.
Learn more about Disabled Person Parking Permits in Oregon here. You can send questions to Oregon’s Disabled Parking program here, call 503-945-5000 (Statewide Relay TTY 711), or visit your local DMV office.
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Health notes |
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Following a Memorial Day weekend outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in Oregon, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people to avoid eating certain shellfish recently harvested from some areas of the Oregon and Washington coasts because they may be contaminated with toxins that cause PSP. Those toxins cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing.
The FDA’s warning specifies oysters and bay clams harvested from growing areas in Netarts Bay and Tillamook Bay in Oregon, and all shellfish species from growing areas in Willapa Bay, WA. The FDA’s warning follows local bans on harvesting mussels, bay clams and razor clams along the Oregon coastline, with similar bans in Washington.
The FDA is also warning all restaurants and other food retailers not to serve the potentially toxic shellfish, which have been commercially distributed to multiple states.
Most people with PSP will begin to develop symptoms within 30 minutes of consuming contaminated seafood. Symptoms can range from tingling of the lips, mouth, and tongue to respiratory paralysis and may include numbness of arms and legs, “pins and needles” sensation, weakness, loss of muscle coordination, floating feeling, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting and headache. Anyone experiencing these symptoms after eating shellfish should seek medical care immediately.
More than 31 people in Oregon recently became ill with PSP after eating shellfish from Oregon’s waters. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests for shellfish toxins and will post updated information here.
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The summer months can be a challenging time for queer youth and their families as many supports they have access to during the school year are no longer available. OHA has compiled a list of local, state and national resources to help LGBTQIA2S+ youth during summer, including crisis lines, family support services, gender-affirming care, behavioral health care, housing, education and more.
“It’s so important that youth have access to the supports from families and community organizations that celebrate the rich diversity of their identities,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA.
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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: Where can my wife and I get a Pfizer COVID-19 booster? We live in the Bend/La Pine area. - Steve, Sunriver
A: Using the Vaccines.gov search tool for ZIP code 97739, results show several pharmacies in Bend that offer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for adults, including Costco, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Safeway, Walmart and Sav-On. In La Pine, only the Walgreens at 51670 Huntington Rd. appears to offer the Pfizer vaccine. We strongly recommend you call ahead to confirm supply and appointment requirements.
Last week the FDA’s advisory panel issued its recommendation for the formulation of the next updated COVID-19 vaccine, which the manufacturers (Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax) say will be available in late August or early September. But if you have not yet received the most recent (2023-2024) COVID-19 vaccine, or you are 65 or older and have not received a second dose of it, you can do that now and get the next updated vaccine for 2024-2025 in the fall.
Q: My 16-year-old grandson lives with us, and he is covered by Oregon Health Plan (OHP). My questions are about dental care. What does OHP cover? Extractions? Braces? Other? – David, Salem
A: For answers about your grandson’s individual situation, we recommend calling your Dental Care Organization (the phone number is on your OHP member ID card) or OHP client services at 800-273-0557.
Generally speaking, for youth under 21 OHP covers all services needed for the child's oral health. This includes preventative care such as annual cleanings/exams, sealants, screenings, and X-rays, as well as fillings, tests, referrals to specialists, extractions, crowns, and root canals. OHP may cover braces if crooked teeth cause health problems such as difficulty speaking, breathing, or eating, but does not cover braces that only improve your child's appearance. Many but not all of these benefits are also available to OHP members ages 21+. Learn more about OHP’s dental benefits here.
For people without dental coverage or for dental services not covered by OHP, check with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that offers dental care (not all do). FQHCs offer sliding scale discounts based on income. People can search for FQHCs near them on this website.
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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