Jul 29, 2024 | AOC News, Transportation
County commissioners capitalized on opportunities to engage with the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation (JCT) at the committee’s Transportation Safety and Sustainability Outreach Tour stops in Albany and Eugene in July.
Listening tour host counties Linn and Lane worked closely with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to plan a local facility site tour to demonstrate cross-jurisdictional partnership and the essential nature of the shared county/state/city road system in supporting public services, jobs, and the economy of our state.
Following the site tours, county commissioners from the Albany and Eugene regions were invited to attend an intimate roundtable conversation with JCT members, local legislators, Oregon Transportation Commission members, governor’s office staff, ODOT leadership, and other community transportation leaders.
County commissioners discussed the impact of inflation, dwindling federal support, and limited local revenue bases on county road department budgets and stressed that counties put their 30% of the State Highway Fund to good use.
“The vast majority of Lane County’s road infrastructure was built over 100 years ago and, with escalating costs, we are falling further behind in our maintenance and preservation backlog,” said Lane County Chair Laurie Trieger. “Beyond the preservation needs of our existing century-old infrastructure,” she said, “we are also focused on key system pillars to carry us into the next century of service: safety, resilience, equity, and access.”
One of the Association of Oregon Counties’ (AOC) top legislative priorities for the 2025 session is to ensure a comprehensive transportation funding package prioritizes investments in operations, maintenance, and safety; incorporates diverse and modern funding mechanisms to ensure the growth and stabilization of the State Highway Fund; maintains the 30% county share of State Highway Fund revenues; and reduces barriers to local revenue sources.
The JCT listening tour continues throughout the summer, stopping next in Coos Bay on Aug. 7. Find the complete tour schedule and resources on the AOC website. AOC and the County Road Program are offering support via talking points, template testimony, and one-pagers to our member counties.
The AOC County Road Program conducted a statewide survey this spring and will present a comprehensive County Road Needs Study to the legislature during September Legislative Days in Salem.
Submitted by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director
Jul 29, 2024 | AOC News, NACo
AOC members from eleven counties attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference and Exposition in Hillsborough County, Fla. in July. The nation’s largest meeting of county leaders drew nearly 3,000 attendees to discuss a wide range of policy issues, exchange best practices, and connect with national leaders.
“It was a great experience,” said AOC President Danielle Bethell. “The opportunity to work alongside my fellow Oregon commissioners on policy topics important to us was invigorating. The energy we have as a team, speaking to our uniqueness as individual counties and as a state resonated with our peers in other states.”
Apart from attending NACo steering committees and breakout sessions, personal connections were strengthened through shared lunches and walks down Ybor Avenue (the 7th most popular street in the U.S.). Bethell encourages members to attend future conferences to help achieve better outcomes for Oregon counties. “This was my first year in attendance and I left knowing I’ll continue to attend.”
The conference provided attendees with resources to help address key issues, including mental health, housing affordability, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, disaster preparedness, effective governance and operations, federal public lands management, workforce and economic development, and civic engagement.
Clackamas County was recognized during the conference with a NACo Achievement Award for its innovative housing program. The Clackamas County Coordinated Housing Access Improvement Program (CHA) provides a single door that assesses and refers people in need to all of the county’s housing resources. People in a housing crisis connect with a trained, compassionate CHA assessor who listens intently to their story, pinpointing immediate needs while drawing upon local resources to find the right program fit. People are also guided to problem solve, and may receive other social services referrals including to physical and mental health programs. As part of Clackamas County’s housing services programs, CHA has contributed to a 65% decrease in homelessness from 2019 to 2023, during a period when homelessness increased nationally. View all the award recipients on the NACo website.
The NACo Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing unveiled its policy priorities to improve mental health in its final report on Saturday, July 13, at the annual conference. Members of the commission, including AOC Executive Director Gina Nikkel, who had been meeting and examining the issue over the past 18 months, discussed the report during the opening general session. The commission’s policy priorities include amending exclusionary policies under Medicaid, enhancing local crisis response systems, strengthening the mental health workforce, and enforcing mental health parity. “Counties play an integral part in addressing our nation’s mental health and wellbeing crisis,” said Nikkel. “I’m excited about having enough dollars and support across the federal, state, and local governments to build the full continuum of care so people have access to it.”
James Gore, NACo’s new president, announced presidential appointments during the conference. Several Oregon leaders were among those appointed to key roles in national policy making. Their involvement ensures that the unique perspectives and needs of Oregon counties are represented in solving problems that impact communities across the nation.
The following members were appointed to leadership positions in NACo committees for the 2024-2025 presidential year:
Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas
- Transportation Steering Committee
Clackamas County Commissioner Martha Schrader
- Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee
- International Economic Development Task Force
- Membership Standing Committee
Crook County Commissioner Susan Hermreck
- Public Lands Steering Committee, Land Management Subcommittee
Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang
- Public Lands Steering Committee, Payments Subcommittee
Multnomah County Commissioner Lori Stegmann
- Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee
Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer
- Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee, Law Enforcement Subcommittee
Union County Commissioner Paul Anderes
- Public Lands Steering Committee, Land Management Subcommittee
Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai
- Transportation Steering Committee
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator
Jul 25, 2024 | Health & Human Services
NACo commission’s federal-county call to action
The NACo Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing unveiled its final report at the annual conference in Tampa, Fla. Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Executive Director Gina Nikkel served as a member of the commission. The report’s four federal policy priorities (plus two) align with AOC’s 2025 state legislative priorities and would increase access to quality local behavioral health services in every Oregon county. The report concludes with a matching call to action for county policy makers, outlining steps to lay the necessary groundwork in anticipation of successful advocacy in Washington, D.C.
Polk County Public Health Director Dr. Naomi Adeline-Biggs named new state public health division director
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director Sejal Hathi announced her appointment of Dr. Naomi Adeline-Biggs as OHA’s Public Health Division Director, effective Aug. 19. Along with an impressive history of practice and leadership abroad, Adeline-Biggs is the sitting chair of the Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials. She was also a dynamic local public health presenter at the most recent AOC County College held in 2023.
The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) publishes summary of county deflection program applications
In July, the CJC released a comprehensive summary of county deflection program applications. Twenty-seven Oregon counties will be standing up a new program, either individually or in partnership with a neighboring county. Marion County will use the new funds to bolster its deflection program which began in 2018. The new programs will go live on different schedules, starting in July and going through January 2025. Additional CJC materials on the deflection program, including a FAQ, can be found on the program webpage.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt | Legislative Affairs Manager
Jul 25, 2024 | Public Safety & Veterans
Submitted by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA)
The OHA Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems Program is now accepting applications for the new Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board (EMSAB) and Emergency Medical Services for Children Advisory Committee (EMSCAC), in alignment with the 2024 EMS Modernization legislation.
The EMSAB is a new body created by EMS Modernization. It will receive recommendations from advisory committees and subcommittees about provision of emergency medical care throughout Oregon, approve regional plans, and work to address ongoing challenges in the field of emergency medicine. The EMSCAC enters a new iteration following EMS Modernization.
EMSAB applications close Aug. 16, and EMSCAC applications are due by Oct. 31.
Additional applications will open February 2025 for the other advisory committees and subcommittees created by EMS Modernization, and for additional positions on the EMSCAC that were not included in the bill.
For more information, visit the OHA EMS and Trauma Systems website, or email EMS.TRAUMA@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Jul 24, 2024 | News
Submitted by AOC Associate Member: Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs (AOCMHP)
The Second Annual Behavioral Health Training Summit, to be held Sept. 24-27, is designed to meet the training needs of the public behavioral health system workforce.
Your sponsorship will help support the skill development and retention of these incredible workers. The summit is at the Riverhouse Conference Center in Bend, with attendees from across the state. We have expanded the number of behavioral health trainings and events, and the summit will again feature the AOCMHP Mobile Crisis Training Academy and a number of population-specific modules.
Click here to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
Click here for information on registration, lodging, and sessions.
