November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States - claiming more lives than prostate, colorectal, and breast cancers combined (American Association for Cancer Research).

Although smoking rates have declined over the years,  tobacco use remains the primary cause, responsible for 80-90% of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. You can reduce your risk of lung cancer by quitting smoking today!

Join many other Americans on November 20^th for the Great American Smokeout to start your quit journey. Quitting nicotine can be hard, but there are resources available to help you reach your goals:

• The Oregon Tobacco Quit Line is a free resource for all Oregonians that offers personalized coaching support and 8-12 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges).
• The Ex Program by Truth Initiative offers personalized quit support via text, and has specialized resources for youth.
• Salem Health and Santiam Hospital & Clinics offer in-person quit support through the 8-week Freedom From Smoking program developed by the American Lung Association.

The holiday season is a good time to remember that many substances can impair driving. This includes marijuana, opioids, methamphetamines, and even prescribed or over-the-counter medications.

Whether you’re driving, riding or hosting, keep these tips in mind to help everyone get home safely during this busy travel season:

• Plan for a sober ride home.
• If you choose to drink, don’t drive impaired. Call a sober friend, rideshare or taxi, or take public transportation to get home safely.
• If you’re hosting and see someone who is about to drive impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely—it will be the greatest gift you ever give them.
• Communicate with your children, friends, family members, and colleagues about expectations of behavior and safe choices when attending holiday events.

If you or someone you know needs help for substance use, reach out to findtreatment.gov, or call or text 988 to be connected immediately to free, confidential support, 24/7.

Sources: SAMHSA.gov and NHTSA.gov

Donation Opportunities

Marion Polk Food Share at 1660 Salem Industrial Dr. NE in Salem. Food and materials donated are distributed to area food banks. How you can participate: donate food, volunteer, or receive food.

AWARE Food Bank at 152 Arthur St. in Woodburn. How you can participate: donate food, volunteer, or receive food.

Hope Station Community Services at 1337 Madison Street, Ste 115 Salem, OR 97301. How you can participate: donate food and toiletries, volunteer, or receive food.

Salem Police Toy Drive: The Salem Police Department is collecting new, unwrapped gifts for kids up to age 14.

Donations can be dropped off until December 13 at the Salem Police Station at 333 Division ST NE between the hours of 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. More locations may become available.

Center for Hope & Safety at 605 Center Ave NE Salem, OR 97301. Check their website for a wish list of needed items. 

Union Gospel Mission Donation Center at 1100 Front St. NE in Salem. Donate on Mondays, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 8am to 3pm.  Check their website for a list of needed items.  

Helping Hands at 1755 13th St SE Salem, OR 97302. Check their website to see how you can help.

Emily Bock is joining Marion County Health and Human Services as a Health Promotion and Prevention intern. As part of the Prevention team, she will assist Health Educator Heidi Johnson with promoting the 2026 Healthy Choices Youth Video Contest and support Communications Coordinator Melissa Gable with social media content and other projects.

Emily is in her final term at Western Oregon University, where she is majoring in Public Health and preparing to graduate this December. Alongside her studies, she works at a daycare and as a special education instructional assistant - experiences that have inspired her passion for promoting health and wellness among children. After graduation, Emily hopes to pursue a career in public health, possibly as a health educator.

Outside of work and school, Emily enjoys spending time with friends and family, volunteering, traveling, and listening to podcasts. Her internship with Marion County Health and Human Services will continue through December 5.

Opioid Prevention now has a webpage! Marion County Opioid Prevention works to support communities in prevention of opioid misuse and reducing stigma around seeking help for opioid addiction.  We provide opioid prevention resources and information to the community, with specific resources for healthcare providers, women of childbearing age, parents and caregivers, and youth.

We also support prevention of misuse of kratom and other substances. 

Some of our resources include:

• Online information including specific resources for healthcare providers, women of childbearing age, parents and caregivers, and youth. 
• Free digital downloads of opioid and other substance prevention materials. Some materials may be available in print or other formats and languages upon request.
• Where to find help for substance addiction. 

Visit the webpage here for more information and resources

What is this new Executive Order? Executive Order 25-09 is a new statewide directive aimed at creating school environments with fewer distractions and more room for learning and student connection. The governor’s office says the order was driven by mounting evidence that heavy phone use is tied to mental health concerns, decreased focus, and lower academic achievement.

Under this new order, districts will designate specific times when students can use their cell phones from the start of the school day, to the end of the school day, but, "may exclude time when students are not on school grounds and not under supervision of school personnel."  Some exceptions can be made if a student's IEP (Individualized Education Program) or action plan states they must be allowed to use their phone, or a medical provider states that a student needs their phone for treatment of a medical condition. 

Does The Research Support Banning Cell Phones In Schools?

Research on the impact of school phone bans offers mixed findings. A broad review of international studies found that in most cases, non-educational phone use had a negative impact on grades and test scores. However, a 2025 study out of the UK compared students in schools with and without phone bans and found no major difference in well-being or academic success. The study concluded that limiting phone use during school hours might only help if paired with other efforts, like education on digital habits, support for mental health, and better sleep routines.

How Will Oregon Schools Handle This New Ban On Cell Phones?

Under the new order from Governor Kotek, each district must define clear rules for when phones can be used and how exceptions will be handled. Districts must have created and adopted their new phone use policies for students by October of this year, and these policies must be active and enforced in all Oregon schools by January 2026. While it’s too early to tell what the long-term results will be, the policy marks a big step in how schools across Oregon will approach student use of technology during the school day.

More information can be found here.

After 30 years of service, the Marion County Behavioral Health Crisis Center (BHCC) has a new home.  The BHCC has moved from the Salem Health Campus to 1234 Commercial Street in SE Salem. The BHCC offers 24/7 behavioral health support services for members of our community.

The new crisis center provides a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for youth and adults experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

If you or a loved one are experiencing a behavioral health crisis you can go to the Crisis Center or call 503-585-4949

Being healthy requires more than regular check-ups. It also means having access to housing, nutritious food, air conditioning, and other essentials. Some OHP members may be eligible for extra non-medical services through a program called Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN). This program addresses barriers to health—like housing or food insecurity—that can affect overall well-being.

Learn more about the HRSN program below and find more information on the PacificSource Health-Related Social Needs webpage.

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for some or all HRSN services if you:

• Are an OHP member
• Have a high-risk medical condition
• Are in transition—for example, if you:
• Are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• Were in a psychiatric facility, jail, or prison in the past year
• Were ever involved in child welfare services
• Are becoming eligible for Medicare in the next three months or enrolled in Medicare no more than nine months ago
• Are a youth with special healthcare needs

Housing Supports

What it does: Help with rent and utilities for up to 6 months, storage fees, medically necessary home modifications like wheelchair ramps or grab bars, remediation services like pest control and deep cleaning, and related hotel costs.

Eligibility: To qualify for rent or utilities assistance, storage fees, and tenancy services, you must:

• Be currently housed
• Need support staying housed
• Have a lease or written agreement with your landlord
• Have an income that is 30% or less than the median income in your area
• Lack sufficient resources or support networks to prevent homelessness
• Have a housing clinical risk factor

To qualify for home modifications and remediation, you must:

• Have a housing clinical risk factor; the home modification or remediation service must prevent, treat, or ameliorate the clinical risk factor
• Be in transition (see examples)

Housing Questions: Marion County HHS Housing Services is also available to answer housing specific questions at HHS-Housing@co.marion.or.us

Extreme Weather Device Supports

What it does: Provides no-cost air conditioners, heaters, air-filtration devices, mini-refrigerators, and portable power supply units.

Eligibility: To be qualify for climate-related supports, you must:

• Have a health condition that makes climate events challenging or dangerous
• For air conditioners, a health condition that gets worse during hot weather
• For heaters, a health condition that gets worse when you get very cold
• For air filtration devices, a health condition that gets worse when air quality is poor
• For mini fridges, a health condition that requires temperature-controlled medication
• For portable power supply, a health condition that requires a powered medical device
• Live in a place with electricity, and be able to use the device safely
• Be in transition (see examples)

Nutrition Supports

What it does: Medically Tailored Meals with delivery, that align with personal and cultural dietary preferences. Also includes Nutrition Education to help with choosing foods and meal preparation.

Eligibility: To qualify for Medically Tailored Meals or Nutrition Education services, you must:

• Have a health condition that would be improved as a result of the service.
• Be experiencing low or very low food security.
• Be assessed by a Registered Dietitian, or a Primary Care Provider, to develop a medically appropriate nutrition care plan before a member can be approved for Medically Tailored Meals.

Sally started ballroom dancing because it combines movement, music, social interaction and creativity. She doesn’t have a partner, so she dances with instructors and everyone in the classes. Dancing has given her more body awareness and healing from trauma, improved her social connections, and healed her posture. Social dancing is a protective factor for many health risks of aging and healing trauma.

She especially enjoys rhythm dances, like salsa, cumbia, meringue, and swing because of the wiggling and music. She enjoys smooth dances, such as waltz, lindy hop, tango and foxtrot because of the history of each dance and the skill in learning precise movements with a partner.

In the studio, you can find her smiling or making her instructor laugh. In the wild, you can find her at the many community group dancing classes in Salem.