Updated guidelines for masking in schools and Summer activities in Washington County

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

To protect our children, teachers, and essential school workers as they return to school in the fall, the Governor has directed the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education to require masks indoors for K-12 schools during this upcoming school year.  This recommendation is based on what health experts and the science are saying, as COVID and the highly contagious Delta variant continue to spread throughout the state. The main priority is to ensure our kids are able to safely return in-person this fall, five days per week.       

Indoor masking is also incredibly important for protecting children under the age of 12 who are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine.  As of right now, only Oregonians over age 12 are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This means it’s important that we continue to mask up, especially indoors, to ensure children are protected and not infected with COVID or the Delta variant. 

And please remember that to maximize protection from COVID-19’s Delta variant, save lives and protect our children, the Oregon Health Authority now recommends universal mask use for all public indoor settings statewide.  In Oregon, the highly contagious Delta variant has increased tenfold over the past two weeks and is tied to 80% of new cases. The use of face masks provides significant protection for individuals who are unvaccinated as well as an additional level of protection from a small but known risk of infection by the virus for persons who have already been vaccinated.

Over the past year and a half, it’s been our collective sacrifices that have saved thousands of lives across Oregon. These new recommendations will ensure we can continue to protect Oregonians’ health, safety, and most importantly, save lives. 

 

Rep. McLain

 

Over the last week, I've had some great opportunities to mask up and get safely out into the community!  I had a great Town Hall last night at the Cornelius Library where we talked about the necessity of increased access to behavioral health services.  I then headed over to Harleman Park for National Night Out.  This past weekend it was a long-standing tradition; the Washington County Fair!  As a former 4-H kid, I love celebrating the hard work of our kids, whether it be through Future Farmers of America, watching the activities in the arena,  or seeing the great animals brought in by the local 4-H clubs.  I believe in the old fashioned priorities of a county fair; celebrating and honoring the families, farmers, growers, who make up the agricultural bedrock of our county.  I know the rides and booths are a lot of fun for everyone, but I hope to see more agricultural booths back in the mix next year.

Washington County Fair

Interstate Bridge Replacement Plan Update

Interstate Bridge logo

Building a new Columbia River bridge on a foundation of equity

Greg Johnson, Program Administrator, opinion article featured in the Oregonian 

I was 4 when my family was told, “you gotta move.” The Michigan State Highway Department was planning to level our family home to build a highway. While I was too young to recall many of the details, I remember the frustration my father felt. He was a man who took pride in his work, worked hard for his family and aspired to one day work at the highway department. The organization he hoped to join was now undermining the sanctity and stability of his family home.My family’s experience is all too common. Communities of color continue to experience displacement. Historically, we have not had a voice in either the process or the outcome of mega-transportation projects. Rather, we have been invited to meetings only after decisions have been made and without time to share the impact those decisions may have on our neighborhoods and our communities.

I know this doesn’t have to be the way forward. I know we can do better. The effort to build a new bridge spanning the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon gives us the chance to show how it should be done.

As administrator of the Interstate Bridge Replacement program, jointly operated by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Transportation, I am committed to ensuring our communities of concern are heard and to changing the trajectory for mega-transportation projects. I know that we can build a modern bridge that accommodates all modes of transportation and will serve the region for the next 100 years. I also know that we can cultivate career pathways for communities often left behind, significantly invest in businesses owned by Black entrepreneurs and other people of color and create meaningful work opportunities for our communities with disabilities. Indeed, concrete and steel cannot be our only hallmark; lifting communities often left behind will be too.

In the year since I have led this program, the team has been busy examining how we can embed equity into every stage of our project. We selected a general engineering consulting firm that prioritizes equity and appointed Johnell Bell, a longtime equity practitioner in Oregon to spearhead this work.

We also recruited and set up an equity advisory group of individuals from both sides of the Columbia River. I attend every meeting of this group and I hear their voices directly.

The first major milestone of this group was to develop a definition of “equity” for the bridge-replacement program that looks at both process and outcomes. “Process equity” prioritizes access, influence and decision-making power for marginalized and underserved communities in establishing objectives, design, implementation and evaluation of success. “Outcome equity” is the result of successful process equity and is demonstrated by tangible transportation and economic benefits for those communities. The group is developing a framework for the program, from design to completion, to be finalized in the fall.

Embracing equity in how we design the replacement bridge is personal to me. My family didn’t have an opportunity to influence the decisions that were made for us, and the resulting harm and trauma was real. In my role as administrator, I will not allow that to happen to other families. I am committed to building a modern, multimodal and resilient bridge. I am committed to ensuring the voices of equity are elevated. I am focused on strengthening communities in the program area and accentuating the relationships between the communities being connected now and in the future.

Join us as we explore design options for the bridge replacement. Tune in for meetings of the groups shaping the bridge’s development. Visit www.interstatebridge.org/contact to find out how. Your voice matters to me.

Interstate Bridge image

 

Bi-state Legislative Committee delivers letters of support

Ongoing bi-state legislative involvement is essential to successfully complete the planning and design process and move to construction. The Bi-State Legislative Committee is made up of eight legislators from each state and provides oversight and guidance to hold the IBR program accountable to its critical milestones. The committee was formed as the Joint Oregon-Washington Legislative Action Committee in Washington and the Joint Committee on the Interstate Bridge in Oregon.

In July, members of the Bi-State Legislative Committee submitted letters of support to the Oregon and Washington congressional delegations highlighting the ongoing collaborative bi-state efforts and conveying their strong support for consideration of federal funding opportunities for the Interstate Bridge Replacement program.

Click to view letters of support

Updates From Washington, DC and Salem

Voting Rights: The Time to Act is Now!

As I write this, two of my colleagues, Reps. Teresa Alonso Leon and Wlnsvey Campos, are in Washington. DC fighting to protect voting rights and sharing how effective and safe voting is here in Oregon!  I want to thank my colleagues for standing up for all Oregonians and all Americans.   

Voting shouldn’t be hard. Here in Oregon, we’ve made it easy. Voting shouldn’t be hard. That’s why here in Oregon we’ve been doing vote-by-mail since 1981 when the Legislature approved a test of vote-by-mail for local elections. In 2000, Oregon became the nation's first all vote-by-mail state. We continue to make voting accessible in Oregon, passing key legislation to expand voting rights just this past year. There were two major pieces of legislation we passed in 2021: 1) HB 3291: ensures ballots postmarked by Election Day are counted if received within a certain window after--this is especially important for low-income, BIPOC, and rural communities who may not have the time, access or resources to vote early; 2) HB 3021: ensures elections materials are printed in the five most common languages spoken in Oregon, in addition to English. This is crucial legislation that will increase civic engagement and participation in the democratic process.

Contrary to Republican talking points, election fraud is extremely rare.  In 2020 the Heritage Foundation found that over a 36-year period, out of 1.8 billion ballots cast in all 50 states between 1982-2018, cases of fraud amounted to only 0.0000007%.   According to a nonpartisan review from the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office, between 2000-2019, “the Oregon Department of Justice estimates that the Criminal Justice Division (and the Civil Enforcement Division) obtained 38 criminal convictions relating to voter fraud” out of the 60.9 million ballots cast. That’s 0.0000006%.

Our democracy is under attack. Congress must act now and pass the For the People Act.  No matter where you live or what you look like, all Americans want fair elections, where we all have the freedom to vote and make our voices heard on important issues such as health care, creating good jobs, and education. Across the country there is a coordinated assault on voting rights by the Republican Party after some of the highest voter turnout during the November general election that sent a clear message and rejection of Trumpian politics. This record turnout was driven by Black community organizers and voters who in some states waited for hours in scorching heat to vote. This isn't by accident.  Having seen the results and increasingly without the numbers or policy to win, the Republican Party has resorted to conspiracy theories, denying the legitimacy of the general election, and now implementing Jim Crow era voting laws that primarily target low-income and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) voices. This is unacceptable. 

Americans across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support measures to protect our freedom to vote - 8 in 10 Americans support the For the People Act. By ensuring that we all have a voice in our democracy, we’ll be able to address the issues affecting people’s lives, like health care and prescription drug costs and making the economy work for everyone.

For the People Act

 

 

Governor Kate Brown Directs State Agencies to Align K-12 Mask Guidance with CDC Recommendations to Prevent Disruptions to Return to In-Person Instruction

July 29th, 2021 / Salem, OR—Governor Kate Brown today directed the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education to create a rule to require masks indoors for K-12 schools statewide for the 2021-22 school year, in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recently updated guidance, and based on the latest science on the spread of the Delta variant.

“The science and data are clear: the Delta variant is in our communities, and it is more contagious,” said Governor Brown. “My priority is to ensure our kids are able to safely return to full-time in-person learning this fall, five days per week and with minimal disruptions. With many children still ineligible to be vaccinated, masks are an effective way to help keep our kids safe in the classroom, the learning environment we know serves them best.

“In the meantime, as we ask Oregonians statewide to mask up in public indoor spaces, we will continue working hard to vaccinate more people so we can finally beat this virus once and for all. Vaccines remain the most effective and best way to protect ourselves and our families.”

 

Oregon health care workers must get COVID-19 shots or submit to weekly testing, governor says

By 

Oregon health care workers will have to get vaccinated for COVID-19 or face weekly testing, Gov. Kate Brown’s office said Wednesday, in an apparent step to fight the state’s run-away coronavirus case numbers fueled by the delta variant.The move comes amid a nationwide push to drive up vaccination rates, both for the general public and among health care workers in particular. Brown’s intervention effectively neutralizes an Oregon law that says employers can’t fire health care workers for not being vaccinated.Brown’s order, through the Oregon Health Authority, sidesteps the law by mandating weekly testing while allowing for an exemption from the requirement for those who can prove they’ve been immunized.

“This new safety measure is necessary to stop delta from causing severe illness among our first line of defense: our doctors, nurses, medical students, and frontline health care workers,” Brown said in a statement announcing the change. “Severe illness from COVID-19 is now largely preventable, and vaccination is clearly our best defense.”

A state-issued vaccine requirement for health care personnel won’t drive vaccinations up to a level necessary to reach herd immunity in Oregon. But it may help shore up a strained health care system from potential staff shortages due to infections, while potentially signaling to employers in other industries that vaccine mandates are a state-supported option.

Brown’s move comes less than three weeks after The Oregonian/OregonLive highlighted the unique problems Oregon’s health care system and patients face due to an obscure law dating to 1989, which prohibits those systems from requiring vaccinations among employees and firing those who refuse.

Oregon appears to be the only state in the nation with the prohibition specifically for health care workers, and one of the sponsors of the bill was perplexed by the ramifications, saying, “Why the hell did we do that?”

Scrutiny of the law came too late for lawmakers to act this year, said Rep. Lisa Reynolds, D-Portland, who has said she believes it should be changed. For months, vaccines were in such high demand it wasn’t yet clear that tens of thousands of health care workers would decline them.

Brown’s office said she plans to address the law in the February 2022 legislative session.

As of the most recent data available, about 70% of Oregon’s 120,000 employed and licensed health care workers had gotten shots.

Of the state’s roughly 12,000 working physicians, 87% have received COVID-19 vaccine shots. Three in four of Oregon’s approximately 39,000 registered nurses are vaccinated. But those rates go down in other groups, with only 64% of paramedics and 57% of certified nursing assistants vaccinated.

The Oregon Health Authority will issue a regulation codifying Brown’s policy this week. Per the broad-brush strokes described by the governor’s office, health care workers will have to show they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 starting Sept. 30 or submit to coronavirus testing once a week. Employers will have to figure out how to pay for the tests, Brown’s office said.

The state chose not to go with a full-blown vaccine mandate because no COVID-19 vaccines have full federal approval, a spokesman for the governor said in an email.

The Oregon Nurses Association, which had previously opposed vaccine mandates, supports Brown’s measure.

“This is a reasonable and sensible approach which respects the individual choices of health care workers while also protecting public health,” union spokesman Scott Palmer said in a statement.

And the Oregon Association of Health Systems and Hospitals, an early and vocal supporter of regulations to override the law, came out on the same side as the nurses association.

“With these additional tools we can better respond to this evolving pandemic and provide the safest possible environment for those who depend on us,” President and Chief Executive Officer Becky Hultberg said in a statement.

The state’s move follows previous announcements by multiple health care systems in Oregon that they will mandate COVID-19 shots for their staff, including Oregon Health & Science University, Kaiser Permanente and PeaceHealth, despite the Oregon law barring mandates.

Brown’s office said the rule will apply to “licensed health care providers, long-term care facilities, outpatient facilities, in-home care, pharmacies, urgent care centers, specialty centers, and more.” There are about 266,000 licensed and unlicensed health care workers in Oregon, according to employment data cited by Brown’s office.

A smorgasbord of efforts to drive up vaccinations have shown moderate success, with only about 5,000 new doses administered per day as of Tuesday. About 91,000 more Oregonians must get shots for 80% of the population to be vaccinated.

While Brown’s lifting of emergency restrictions June 30 was supposed to signal the beginning of the end of the pandemic, circumstances have shifted dramatically since then, with hospitalizations inching closer to 400 Tuesday and case counts rising toward pandemic peak levels.

The de facto vaccination mandate is at least the third policy change to slow the coronavirus since Brown lifted restrictions, with a recent mask mandate in K-12 schools and government buildings and a statewide mask recommendation.

Earlier predictions for this stage of the pandemic assumed more people would be vaccinated and that the virus wouldn’t be nearly as virulent as the delta variant.

The rapid spread of disease has put pressure on employers and local and state officials to do something to curb the spread, whether through mask recommendations or mandates or incentives to get more people vaccinated.

Oregon has turned to a hands-off approach beginning with the June 30 reopening, asking counties to decide if they want to put mask or capacity restrictions in place. But counties have been loath to do so, with none renewing requirements.


Vaccination Information

Vaccinated!

WashCo launches mobile vaccine team as COVID-19 cases surge

Story by Max Egener

Washington County has launched a mobile vaccine team as health experts warn of another crossroads in the fight against COVID-19.

The county's mobile vaccine team, which launched last month, aims to increase vaccinations at farmers' markets, community events and in specific neighborhoods where people have been slower to get the vaccine, said Louisa Partain, a senior program coordinator with the county's health department.

The approach of using data to bring vaccines where people are is the same as that of the mobile vaccination team operated by Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, which has been running for months.

But it comes as the county, like much of Oregon and other states, faces the largest surge of COVID-19 since late April, largely driven by the highly contagious delta variant, according to state health officials.

New infection modeling released last week by the Oregon Health Authority suggested the state could have more than 1,200 new cases and almost 100 new hospitalizations every day by mid-August.

Additionally, new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests fully vaccinated people can spread the delta variant if they become infected. It is still very rare for fully vaccinated people to become seriously ill with COVID-19.

Washington County reported 98 new cases on July 27, a number not seen since the first week of May. Overall, case counts have been ticking upward.

"Vaccination could save your life," said Mary Sawyers, communications coordinator for Washington County Public Health.

While Washington County has maintained the highest vaccination rate among adults of any county in the state for weeks, with 71.6% of people fully vaccinated, vaccine providers are struggling to make large gains among Black and Latino residents and in more rural zip codes.

Partain says the slow progress among such groups has been expected as health officials work to overcome barriers, including lack of access to public health information, transportation, paid time off work and child care.

"It has been a challenge for people to get to a vaccine clinic," Partain said. "If we can get our clinic a little closer to them, we want to make sure we can do that."

Putting a stripe of the population that simply will never get the vaccine aside, vaccine providers are still relying on the help of community-based organizations to help overcome distrust of government brought on by systemic racism, Sawyers said.

She said vaccine providers and volunteers are working to bring vaccine information to people who don't access traditional communication channels.

"We're still seeing people who didn't get basic information about vaccines like that they're free and you don't have to have your Social Security number," Sawyers said. "They're not on social media, they don't watch the news."

Partain said the work of the mobile vaccination team is less about persuasion and more about providing accurate information and being ready to provide vaccines.

"We spend a good portion of our time in the mobile clinic just talking with people who have questions, who don't have accurate information about the efficacy about vaccines," Partain said. "That work takes time."

Sawyers said the county is incentivizing people by providing them with gift cards to the businesses and markets where the mobile clinic is set up.

The county's mobile vaccine team is providing vaccinations Tuesdays through Saturdays, often at multiple locations in one day. People can view a schedule here.

 

Washington County Logo

Washington Co. Vaccine Information:

Every Oregonian age 12 and up is eligible for a vaccine. Twelve to 14 year-olds must be accompanied by either a parent, guardian or someone designated by the parent. If someone other than a parent or guardian accompanies the 12 to 14-year-old, they will need to provide proof of parental/guardian consent. 

Proof of consent is either:

  • A signed consent form (available in English and Spanish on the All4OR.org site) 
  • A written or typed note that includes the parent/guardians name, relationship to the young adult, their date of birth, a statement saying they consent to young adult being vaccinated and the parent/guardian signature.

Fifteen-year-olds do not need to be accompanied, and do not require parental consent in the state of Oregon.

NEW! Washington County's Mobile Vaccination Van: Our van is traveling the county to make it easier for people to get the vaccine close to where they live or shop. Find the schedule here.

Beaverton Resource Center: Most Fridays from July 16 through September 24. See the flier for exact dates and times. Pfizer for ages 12 and older. Located at 13565 SW Walker Road.

 

Vaccination events

 

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers: All vaccination events are open to the community, do not require an appointment, and do not require you to be a Virginia Garcia patient. You do not have to have insurance in order to receive a vaccine. If you have insurance, please bring your card with you. Remember, vaccines are free!

Vaccine event

 

Local pharmacies: As of April 27, 2021, pharmacies are required to offer second/boost doses to people who received their first dose somewhere else.

How much does the vaccine cost?  Vaccines are provided free of charge to the recipient. If you have health insurance, you may be asked to provide that information so the vaccinator can bill your insurance an administration fee.

 

Vaccination Progress: 

US Vaccination trends
Vaccination progress in Oregon

COVID-19 Updates

National Numbers: 

  • Confirmed Cases: 35,371,432
  • Deaths: 614,458
  • These national numbers come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  You can view their national and state by state data here.
US Covid numbers

 

Oregon Status Report: 

  • Oregon now has 223,364 total cases (confirmed and presumptive) of COVID-19.
  • Today we have 1,575 new confirmed and presumptive cases, and 9 new deaths
  • A total of 2,899 Oregonians have died from COVID-19 (previous daily case updates from OHA here)
  • Washington County has 28,086 confirmed cases, including 259 deaths.  
  • The Oregon Health Authority provides a Public Health Indicators Dashboard to enable communities across Oregon to monitor COVID-19 in the state. The dashboard, which will be updated weekly on Thursdays, provides a transparent report that presents complex epidemiological data in an interactive, easy-to-understand way on a state and county level
Daily case count in Oregon
Oregon covid by county

Around Western Washington County

National Night Out!

Great time had by all at the Cornelius National Night Out

Thank you to all the people that worked hard to make last night's National Night Out a success!  Of course, it's the police and the kids that always have the most fun.  

 

Summer O'Fun in the Park

Summer O'Fun in the Park through August!

In conjunction with Forest Grove Parks and Rec and the Forest Grove School District, this FREE Summer enrichment program is the perfect thing to beat Summer boredom. 

This Friday you can catch the Mad Science Show at Roger's Park at 12:30 or head over to Lincoln Park at 12:30 to see magician Jay Frasier!

For a complete list of Summer programs through the Forest Grove School District, and to register your child, click here

For the schedule of Summer enrichment programs, click here

Summer fun schedule

 

Update on the Forest Grove Aquatic Center:

The main pool is currently closed for repairs from 6/14/21 until 09/08/2021. The activity pool and spray park are available for reservation. See below for current restrictions and pool use policies.

Current Covid Restrictions/Guidelines 

  • Paid reservation required for all fitness, preschool or public swims. Reservations can be made by or in person, payment required when making reservations. For fee information, click fee link.

  • Hot tub is reopened, sauna remains closed at this time. 

  • Punch passes and drop in fees available, memberships are not available at this time.

  • Swim lessons and exercise classes will be available in the fall. 

  • Locker room/shower use closed until further notice. Two family restrooms are available for bathroom use only; changing/shower use not permitted until further notice.

  • Patrons 10 years or older may attend public or fitness swim without an adult in the water; 9 years or younger will require an adult (16 years and older) in the water at all times.

Pool Schedule

 

 

Identities Exhibit at the Walters Cultural Arts Center Gallery 

Bringing diverse perspectives, journeys, and collective memories to the canvas, artists Kanaan Kanaan, Li Tie, and Arturo Villasenor come together to present creative works highlighting individual roots. The exhibition celebrates an expression of pride for immigrant heritage in the hopes of connecting with people to celebrate our diverse world.

Exhibit runs August 3rd - September 24

Walters Gallery is open Monday - Friday: 10 am to 4 pm

First Tuesday Reception: September 7, 5 - 8 pm

Identities Art Exhibit

Wildfire Preparedness and Resources

livestock

Make an Evacuation Plan for your animals!

Whether your concerned about man's best friend, your daughter's prized 4H pig, or an entire herd of cattle, make sure you have an evacuation plan in place that takes your animals into consideration.  

Read about tips for keeping pets and livestock safe during evacuations here.  And you can click on the image to the right  to see a video on making a plan for your farm animals and livestock safe.

Finally, below is a checklist that you can use to keep your family pets safe during an emergency. 

 

Pet Checklist for Evacuations

 

Wildfire Recovery Resources

OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:

The Governor’s office has put together a Wildfire Resources page that you can access from the Governor’s home page.  It has links to many of the most important updates about the status of fires and resources for evacuees.  This website will be updated regularly.  

Legal ResourcesOregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Program, Oregon lawyers, through the Oregon State Bar, are partnering with FEMA and the American Red Cross to provide legal assistance on FEMA claims, contract claims, insurance claims, landlord-tenant matters and more.

The Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Response and Recovery Overview has ongoing updates about firefighting efforts, damage reports, and more.  

FEMA UpdatesFEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.


Rental Assistance Update

Housing Logo

State Takes Unprecedented Steps to Hire Additional Staffing Capacity to Process Emergency Rental Assistance Applications.

SALEM, OR – Concerned with the speed at which rental assistance is getting in the hands of Oregonians, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is taking multiple steps to make rental assistance resources available to Oregonians across the state, including the hiring of an outside vendor to assist partners with their backlog of applications.
“Across much of the state applications are moving,” said Andrea Bell, Director of Housing Stabilization. “Most of the additional capacity from our third-party vendor will help those agencies serving the tri-county area, where we are most concerned with the speed at which assistance is getting in the hands of tenants. As the state housing agency, we will continue taking bold action to stabilize renters.”

Historically in Oregon, rental assistance application processing takes place at the local level. OHCS has expanded to bring on an additional 63 staff and contractors to process applications and help tenants finalize their incomplete applications. The agency is currently working with a vendor to more than double that number. This unprecedented move will ensure applications are processed as quickly as possible and will provide much needed support to local administrators and the Oregonians they serve.

“Investing in an equitable recovery is something we have an unwavering commitment to,” said Margaret Salazar, Executive Director of OHCS. “Workers and families across the state are just beginning to recoup from the trauma and economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we must do all we can, and use all tools available to protect them from becoming unhoused during this vulnerable time.”

Tenants applying to the Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program (OERAP) can receive help with bills to ensure they stay stably housed while qualifying for additional eviction protections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) issued a new moratorium on evictions yesterday but the limited version does not provide universal coverage. In Oregon, renters have additional protections for nonpayment of rent if they apply for rental assistance. To ensure tenants struggling to pay rent and utilities are served as quickly as possible, OHCS is shifting outside of the normal agency role temporarily to provide additional support especially to the Metro area which has seen the greatest number of applicants.

The Oregon Emergency Rental Assistance Program is open and accepting applications and can cover current, future and back rent, along with utilities. This is the first time the agency has run a statewide portal where Oregonians can access a singular application regardless of region. The centralized portal increases language access, transparency and allows the state to target additional resources to Community Action Agencies with backlogs. The application is available to all individuals living in Oregon, regardless of immigration status. Tenants who fear they may fall behind should find out if they qualify and apply today at oregonrentalassistance.org. Spanish speakers in need of assistance should contact the Oregon Human Development Corporation, 1 855-215-6158.

OHCS cannot provide legal advice. If a tenant receives a notice of eviction for nonpayment, they should call 2-1-1 immediately to get directly connected to information and resources. Additional nonpayment of rent eviction information about legal protections are available at the Oregon Law Center website. Renters who have gotten court papers about an eviction can call the Eviction Defense Project line (888-585-9638) or email EvictionDefense@oregonlawcenter.org

OERAP is working with a variety of culturally specific organizations, community-based groups and landlord partners to spread the word about rental assistance. Resources are available to help prevent evictions and ensure basic housing security for Oregonians struggling to stay housed during the global pandemic. To help get the word out about these important resources please visit the community partner page of the oregonrentalassistance.org website to download the latest flyers and social media tiles.


Sign up for the Oregon Health Plan by 8/15

People in Oregon can get 2021 health insurance until Aug. 15

If you don’t qualify for Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and you don’t have insurance through your work, you can sign up for an individual or family plan at the Oregon Marketplace. The deadline for 2021 coverage is Aug. 15. To learn more, visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 855-268-3767 (toll-free) to find free, local help.

Sign up for Oregon Health Plan

Additional Resources

Employers and Employees

The following list of resources is from Oregon’s Secretary of State’s Office. The fastest way to get in touch with the SOS team is by emailing business.sos@oregon.gov, using the “Need Help?” button found on most state agency websites or visiting www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness.

Education Links

Local Government

Utilities Assistance

Food and Housing Assistance


Governor

Emergency

Oregon Health Authority

CDC

 

Enjoying the festivities at the Washington County Fair last weekend!

WashCo Fair

 

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-376, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain