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Hello Friends and Neighbors,
A day in the life of a legislator consists of meeting with advocacy groups, social agencies, organizational partners and my fellow colleagues. This week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with members of two forward-thinking organizations called Oregon Recovers and Community Action Head Start.
Oregon Recovers
Oregon Recovers is a statewide coalition of people in recovery from addiction. On Wednesday, hundreds of Oregonians in recovery came to our Capitol to advocate for access to safe, effective and immediate treatment and support. Members of the group sat down with my staff and discussed the urgency of addiction and mental health funding so services such as outpatient care, individual counseling, group therapy, life skills development and parenting workshops can continue to improve the lives of recovering communities across the state.
Members of Oregon Recovers also advocated for the protection and maintenance of Measure 110 funding. Measure 110 was a ballot measure that passed by voters in November 2020 and ensured screening, health assessments, treatment and recovery services drug addiction.
During the first phases of implementation, Measure 110 services have reached more than 60,000 Oregonians.
Head Start
As a Co-Chair on the Education Budget Committee, I know how important it is for families to have access to early learning through higher education. I am a long-time supporter of the Head Start program and I am grateful for the advocates. I sat down with two members of the Head Start Community Action program, which offers high-quality education and comprehensive services to enrolled children and their families in Washington County. Veronica, a 4th-generation Oregonian, shared her experience with the program and the immense support it provided for her single-parenting of three children, who received services such as mental health counseling, education enrollment and free dental and vision screenings. Veronica also received financial support with housing and electricity, and took a class that taught her how to improve her credit score. Because of this program, Veronica has been able to provide her children with a quality education while saving up to buy a house for her family. Our other guest, Lupita is a resident of Hillsboro and a native Spanish speaker. She expressed how important this program is for parents coming from diverse backgrounds and benefiting from the translation services offered to community members with first languages other than English.
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Lupita and Veronica with Head Start Community Action
I am so proud of the work from both of these organizations and I will continue to support their efforts in making a positive difference in the lives of struggling or marginalized Oregonians.
BILL UPDATES
Floor Session!
House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water
Bills in Review
The pace picked up this week with important votes on the House Floor and in Committees. With almost 4,000 bills this Session, each week will be busier than the last but it's exciting to see important bills pass.
On full House votes, I was proud to vote in favor of HB 2032, which expands eligibility for domestic partnership under the Oregon Family Fairness Act to partners of any sex. I spoke in favor of HCR 8, that will designate rescued shelter dogs and cats as the official state pet of Oregon, as I believe it is important to support rescue and adoption programs. I was honored to vote for HB 2146, that will designate that the portion of U.S. Highway 30, beginning where highway intersects with U.S. Highway 101 and ending at Idaho state line, shall also be known as Oregon Gold Star Families Memorial Highway.
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SCR 6 Memorializes Ralph Davis Brown
Senator Sollman and I are the Co-Chief Sponsors of Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, which recognizes and honors the legacy of former Cornelius Mayor, Ralph Davis Brown. The Senate Committee On Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs held a hearing for the resolution on Thursday and several of Ralph's family, colleagues, and friends spoke about the lasting legacy that Ralph left on our community. You may view the testimony here. Below is my written testimony for the record.
Ralph and I crossed paths in many ways over the years. We were both educators, and when I was a Metro councilor, Ralph was the Mayor of Cornelius. I was proud to work with him on important issues for our community.
I also got the chance to know Ralph and his lovely wife, Carol, through many community events and activities, and I always loved having the opportunity to visit with them. Ralph was quite simply a wonderful man. He was known for the annual New Year's Day run, as well as many other races, helped coordinate activities for children, and was a constant presence at community events.
Ralph was a dedicated teacher, coach, and principal. He cared deeply about the communities of Cornelius, Forest Grove, and Hillsboro. He was always focused on helping others, whether his students or community members, and I admired that dedication immensely. As a City Councilor, School Board Member, Mayor, and as State Representative for one term, he showed his compassion and commitment to the people of Western Washington County through countless hours of hard work.
I am proud that I had the privilege of calling Ralph my friend. My heart is with Carol and Ralph's family as our community mourns the loss of someone who has left a profound and lasting impact.
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Former Forest Grove Mayor Pete Truax, Former Cornelius City Manager Rob Drake, and Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway testify on SCR 6, which honors Ralph Brown.
House Bill 2615 Passes Committee with Unanimous Vote
I am very pleased to announce that House Bill 2615 passed out of the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans on Tuesday. The vote was unanimous and the bill has strong bi-partisan support. It now heads to the Ways and Means Committee for funding approval. If enacted, HB 2615 will increase access to Community College for veterans separating to Oregon upon discharge from the military. Specifically, it expands eligibility for the Oregon Promise Grant (OPG) to allow veterans who were Oregon High School graduates to apply for the grant within 12 months of their discharge from military service and enrollment at an Oregon community college. It also gives veterans a choice as to whether they use their G.I. Bill while utilizing the OPG. If a veteran chooses to use their G.I. Bill in conjunction with the OPG, the G.I. Bill amount will not be calculated to determine their OPG award.
UPCOMING VIRTUAL JOINT TOWN HALL
CLICK THE FLYERS BELOW TO REGISTER
SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATES
The future is in hands of our young and bright generations- congratulations Avah!
Oregon Kid Governor Cabinet Member Avah McAdams
Congratulations are in order for Indian Hills fifth-grader Avah McAdams! She was recently sworn in as a member of the Oregon Kid Governor cabinet. Avah has a goal and platform of addressing racism, which she and her family have experienced firsthand.
Learn more about Avah and her fellow Washington County cabinet members in an article by Lauren Bishop and Troy Shinn in the Hillsboro News-Times: https://bit.ly/3kOaYeZ.
Bilingual Family Engagement Night
All HSD families are invited to join us from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Evergreen Middle School (456 NE Evergreen Rd., Hillsboro) to understand more about Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and how it impacts the learning experiences of all students. This month’s focus is Self-Awareness. You can expect fun activities, insightful discussions, and opportunities to collaborate with other families and staff. Free childcare, a light dinner, and swag bags will be provided. Sign-up by Tuesday, Jan. 31: https://bit.ly/3joyoaq.
OMSI Family Science Night with NAYA
The Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) invites Native American/Alaska Native students and their families to an OMSI Family Science Night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7. https://bit.ly/3jocFzr
BENEFITS AND SUPPORT
Need help staying warm?
Make sure you and your loved ones are safe during this chilly time. If you need help staying warm, call 2-1-1 or visit https://www.211info.org/winter-and-severe-weather-shelters/
Here are some additional resources:
VA now allows veterans in suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA healthcare facility for free emergency healthcare
Veterans in acute suicidal crisis can now go to any VA or non-VA healthcare facility for emergency health care at no cost — including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.
Veterans do not need to be enrolled in VA health care to use this benefit. This expansion will increase access to acute suicide care for up to 9 million veterans who are not currently enrolled in the VA system.
The final policy, which took effect on Jan. 17, allows the VA to:
- Provide, pay for, or reimburse for treatment of eligible individuals’ emergency suicide care, transportation costs, and follow-up care at a VA or non-VA facility for up to 30 days of inpatient care and 90 days of outpatient care.
- Make appropriate referrals for care following the period of emergency suicide care.
- Determine eligibility for other VA services and benefits.
- Refer eligible individuals for appropriate VA programs and benefits following the period of emergency suicide care.
Eligible individuals, regardless of VA enrollment status, are:
- Veterans who were discharged or released from active duty after more than 24 months of active service under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former members of the armed forces, including reserve service members, who served more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former members of the armed forces who were the victim of a physical assault of a sexual nature, a battery of a sexual nature, or sexual harassment while serving in the armed forces.
If you or someone you know is struggling: Don’t wait. Reach out. Visit www.va.gov/REACH for resources and information, or call 988 (then press 1) to quickly connect with caring, qualified crisis support 24/7.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Free Telehealth Service
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced Evusheld is not currently authorized for emergency use because it is not effective in protecting against most of the COVID-19 subvariants currently circulating in the U.S. Evusheld cannot be used for new patients or for patients who have received it in the past.
Evusheld is a monoclonal antibody therapy that was used as an alternative to COVID-19 vaccines for people with compromised immune systems who may not be good candidates for the COVID-19 vaccine, or who have had a negative medical reaction to the vaccine.
There continue to be effective treatment options for COVID-19 illness, including Paxlovid, Veklury and Lagevrio, that are expected to remain effective against the most common COVID-19 subvariants currently circulating in the U.S.
We’ve partnered with Color Health, Inc. to offer free telehealth consultations and medication for people in Oregon at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
Any person in Oregon, regardless of health insurance or citizenship status, can make a no-cost telehealth appointment with a clinician. During the appointment, you can find out if you are eligible for COVID-19 oral antiviral medicine.
Fees Waived for Social Workers
Aspiring behavioral health social workers in Oregon will have their exam and licensing fees waived until February 2024.
The fee waivers remove barriers for potential and qualified applicants as part of a larger effort to rebuild and retool a behavioral health workforce that was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
WILDFIRE-RELATED RESOURCES
OEM has put together this list of contacts to help speed up the process of replacing these documents:
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Green cards: Phone (800)-375-5283; Website: www.uscis.gov
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Medicare cards: Phone: (800)-772-1213; (TTY) (800)-325-0778 Website: www.medicare.gov
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Military records Phone: 866-272-6272 Website: www.archives.gov/contact/
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Passport Phone: 877-487-2778; (TTY) 888-874-7793 Website: travel.state.gov
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Social Security card Phone: 800-772-1213; (TTY) 800-325-0778 Website: www.ssa.gov
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U.S. Savings Bonds Phone: 844-284-2676 Website: www.treasurydirect.gov
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U.S. tax returns Phone: 800-829-1040 Website: www.irs.gov
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Birth, death, marriage, domestic partnership, divorce certificates Phone: 888-896-4988 Website: www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Birthdeathcertificates
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Driver’s license, auto titles and registration, ID cards Phone: 503-945-5000 Website: www.oregon.gov/odot
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SNAP (Oregon Trail Card) Website: www.oregon.gov/DHS/Assistance/Food-Benefits
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State taxes (Oregon Dept. of Revenue) Phone: 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 TTY: All relay calls are accepted. Website: www.oregon.gov/dor
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Real estate and property - Contact your county government.
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Credit cards - Contact your credit card company directly.
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Credit reports from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion Phone: 877-322-8228 Website: www.annualcreditreport.com
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Insurance documents - Check with your insurance agent.
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Medical records - Call your doctor or your medical insurance company; medical and prescription records are tracked electronically.
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 Resources: Oregon 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 Updates: FEMA has provided several different Fact Sheets and resources for accessing benefits, determining eligibility and avoiding scams.
RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs:
Washington County Veterans Resources:
Mental Health Services:
- Washington County Crisis Line | 503-291-9111
- Crisis Text Line | Text “Connect” to 741741
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline | 1-800-273-8255
- Trevor Lifeline | 1-866-488-7386
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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
This picture of a cemetery by the beautiful Mt. Hood was taken by my friend, Tom Kloster.
Yours truly,
 Representative Susan McLain
House District 29
email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-489, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain
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