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Dear Friends and Constituents,
Recently, a Hillsboro High School student was killed and a Liberty High School student was injured during a shooting at a private house party.
Our hearts go out to the victims’ families, friends, and all those in the community who have been impacted. Gun violence is an epidemic in our society and is the leading cause of death among young children and teens in this country. We’ve taken action in the Legislature to prevent gun violence, and we’re committed to continuing this work until every student and community is safe.
You can read the statement that State Representative Nathan Sosa and I have released here.
This is heavy news as many students and families are all impacted by the grief and loss. If you or your loved ones need support coping with the tragedy, please visit the Hillsboro School District’s grief and loss resources page.
Next week, I will be down in Salem for round two of Legislative Days, which is an opportunity to participate in committees, receive updates from state agencies and task forces, and have ongoing discussions on key issues from the addiction crisis to the economy.
Although Legislative Days mainly consist of informational hearings, there are many ways you can still be involved - both in-person and online. You can watch informational hearings, read committee agendas, and email me about your thoughts on informational hearings. Committee agendas will be posted here soon.
House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee in discussion (Photo Credit: Lynn Howlett)
I am excited to announce my next town hall will be on Thursday, November 16th at 6:30pm in the East Room of the Hillsboro Community Senior Center!
We will have two special guests joining us, Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai and Hillsboro City Councilor Beach Pace, as we have a conversation about the exciting developments happening at the city, county, and state level in addition to issues that matter most to you.
To register in advance, you can use this link here. If you have any questions about the event or need any accommodations, please email me at Rep.HaiPham@oregonlegislature.gov.
Thank you to everyone who came out to my October Constituent Coffee! It was great seeing constituents in the Beaverton area to talk about some of the key issues the community has been tuned into. We had a great discussion on a range of issues that impact communities, cities, counties, and the state.
State Representative Hai Pham chatting with constituents at the October Constituent Coffee
In Beaverton, I got to tour the city’s Purple Pipe Program with State Senator Wlnsvey Campos and State Representative Farrah Chaichi! The Purple Pipe Program is a new system to conserve potable water to use for irrigation and recharging streams in the South Cooper Mountain Area and will help water conservation efforts and save water treatment costs.This is a fantastic example of a program that moves towards sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions.
State Representative Hai Pham with Rep. Chaichi and Sen. Campos at the Purple Pipe Program with the City of Beaverton
My staff attended a tour of Washington County’s Center for Addiction Triage and Treatment (CATT) to learn more about the county’s response to the addiction and behavioral health crisis. The project will add 86 new treatment beds and a robust range wrap-around services for the Beaverton and Hillsboro communities.
Rendering of the exterior building of the Beaverton location (Photo Credit: Washington County)
Rendering of the interior lobby (Photo Credit: Washington County)
These two locations will be critical in our short and long-term public health response and will provide life-saving services for those struggling to overcome addiction.
You can learn more about the CATT on this Washington County webpage.
Earlier this month, I was proud to join SEIU at the picket lines to stand alongside over 75,000 healthcare workers from across the country on strike.
As a healthcare practitioner, I know that healthcare workers are leaving the industry in alarming numbers, resulting in an urgent patient care crisis in our state. I am grateful for the dedication and hard work of these healthcare workers to keep our communities safe and healthy. They deserve better working conditions, competitive wages, and adequate staffing.
State Representative Hai Pham at the picket line with SEIU healthcare workers
It was great to see Washington County businesses and community leaders. Wake Up! events are held weekly at a different location, hosted by a member business. This week, we gathered in the Ackerly at Reed’s Crossing, a senior adult living facility that serves families in Hillsboro.
Photo of the Ackerly building in South Hillsboro
If you want to network with our small businesses and our local community, be sure to check out the Chamber’s event calendar here.
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) Program
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) helps families who are working, getting TANF, or in school to help pay for childcare. If you think you might qualify for ERDC, learn more by visiting oregon.gov/delc/erdc and apply by 11:59 pm on Friday, November 3 2023. You can apply for ERDC at benefits.oregon.gov, by visiting or calling your local DHS office, or by dialing 1-800-699-9075.
ERDC will close enrollment and open a waitlist after November 3, 2023 because of increased demand and limited funding. If you are getting ERDC now, the waitlist will not affect you. You will continue to receive benefits.
For more information: English | 繁體中文 / Chinese (Traditional) | Русский / Russian | Español / Spanish | Tiếng Việt / Vietnamese
AgriStress Helpline
Last session, I was proud to sponsor the AgiStress helpline which is now fully running and launched! The AgriStress Helpline is a free confidential crisis and mental health resource to support farmers, farm workers, ranchers, fisherman, foresters, and their families.
People can call the AgriStress Helpline when they are in a crisis, need resources, are concerned about a loved one, or just need someone to talk to. The helpline’s crisis specialists understand the culture, values, stressors, and lived experiences of agriculture, forestry, and fishing workers. They can also offer local mental health resources specific to these industries.
The Oregon AgriStress Helpline is available 24/7. If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 833-987-2474. The phone line can be accessed in up to 160 languages with the help of interpreters, and the text line offers English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Order Free COVID-19 Tests
Families can now order more free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. Each household can order four tests at COVIDtests.gov, and the tests will arrive through USPS. The tests are in addition to any free tests previously ordered from the federal government.
If you still have unused at-home COVID-19 tests, whether you bought them at the store or ordered them from the government, be sure to check the expiration dates. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended the expiration dates on many COVID-19 tests beyond what is printed on the box. Check this FDA website and search your test’s brand and lot number to see if the FDA extended the expiration date. If your tests have expired, throw them away with the regular trash.
Thank you for reading my newsletter! If you want to hear regular updates about the work that I am doing in Salem, please follow me on Facebook or Instagram. And as always, you can reach me by emailing my office at Rep.HaiPham@oregonlegislature.gov.
Best Regards,
 State Representative Hai Pham, DMD
House District 36
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1436
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-282, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.HaiPham@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/phamh
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