P R E S S   R E L E A S E

Secretary of State SHEMIA FAGAN The State of Oregon

Contact: Ben Morris, 971-209-5521, ben.morris@sos.oregon.gov

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Releases Real-Time Audit Report of Ballot Measure 110 Implementation

Download a copy of the report.

SALEM, OR —  Across Oregon, like the rest of the nation, a vast number of people suffer from substance use disorder. In November 2020, the people of Oregon rejected decades of racist, ineffective policies that attempted to solve drug abuse by criminalizing it and passed Ballot Measure 110 (M110). M110 set a new course focused on treatment instead of punishment.

Today, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and the Oregon Audits Division released a real-time audit report that details how the Oregon Health Authority struggled with implementing the initiative. The report outlines recommendations for the Oregon Health Authority on how to improve M110.

“It is plain as day that Oregon’s drug treatment system is failing,” said Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. “This is incredibly frustrating for me, and many Oregonians, because treatment is a matter of life and death for people we know. I have a brother in recovery right now. I want to see Measure 110 work.”

Importantly, auditors note that it is too early to tell whether M110 will be successful. What is clear is that criminalizing drug use has failed to eliminate the harm it causes in our communities. In order to move forward with the goals of M110, OHA must implement the recommendations in this audit and continue working to create a better way of dealing with Oregon’s drug crisis.

Oregon has the second highest rate of substance use disorder in the nation and ranked 50th for access to treatment. Advocates of M110 hope it will succeed where previous recovery and treatment efforts have failed, especially when it comes to supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. To realize that goal, auditors recommend four course adjustments for the Oregon Health Authority:

• Address fragmentation: Publish a plan by September 2023 for how the M110 program integrates into the overall behavioral health system in Oregon.
  
  
• Ensure that success can be measured: Identify and document gaps that prevent detailed metrics from being implemented that would track the overall effectiveness and impact of M110.
  
  
• Create the foundation for a successful grants program: Develop and document policies and procedures for the M110 program, including clear expectations, roles and responsibilities for Oversight and Accountability Council members and OHA staff and greater support for grant applicants and evaluators.
  
  
• Seek opportunities to expand collaboration with other stakeholders.

In addition, auditors make several recommendations to the Oregon Legislature to address potential risks areas in law.

In keeping with Secretary Fagan’s mission to build trust by telling Oregon’s whole story, auditors also looked at the racist history of drug laws in Oregon and noted the disproportionate harm caused by the “war on drugs” in communities of color.

“With Measure 110, voters, myself included, sent a clear message to state leaders that we need a new, more effective plan for drug treatment in Oregon,” Secretary Fagan said. “OHA and the State Legislature must continue working to make the new program work for our families and our communities.”

Read the full audit on the Secretary of State website (https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Pages/default.aspx).

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About Secretary Shemia Fagan

Pronunciation: shuh-MEE-uh (rhymes with “Maria”) FAY-gen (rhymes with “Megan”)

Shemia Fagan is Oregon’s 28th Secretary of State. She grew up in small Oregon towns, Dufur and The Dalles, and was raised by her single dad and two older brothers. Her public service began on her local school board. She was later elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, then to the Oregon State Senate. Secretary Fagan was a civil rights attorney before being elected to Secretary of State in 2020. She stays busy keeping up with her young children, teaching her dog not to jump on people and being a fanatic for women’s basketball.

About Oregon SOS

The Oregon Secretary of State is one of three constitutional offices created at statehood. Oregon’s Secretary of State is Oregon’s chief elections officer, chief auditor, chief archivist, and oversees business and nonprofit filings. The Secretary of State also serves as one of three members of the State Land Board and as the chair of the Oregon Sustainability Board. Under Article V, Section 8a of the Oregon Constitution, if there is a vacancy in the office of Governor, the Secretary of State becomes governor. As an independently elected constitutional officer, the Secretary of State answers directly and solely to the people of Oregon.

Our Mission

Build trust between the people of Oregon and their state government so Oregonians trust the public services that can make a positive difference in their everyday lives.