Jun 26, 2023 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Health & Human Services
Amidst the hustle and bustle of this year’s long legislative session and ongoing leadership transitions in the Oregon Health Authority, the state-county partnership on our shared health and human services has continued to grow. The directors of the Oregon Health Authority, Department of Human Services, Oregon Housing & Community Services and the Office of Emergency of Management are at the table with county commissioners and other local government leaders for monthly Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) meetings chaired by Lane County Commissioner Pat Farr. They have been focusing on the statewide emergency homelessness response, preparations for the upcoming wildfire season, and the development of the new state-county contract for community behavioral health services.
In the coming months, the LGAC will also dig into closer partnership on court-mandated services provided by the Oregon State Hospital and counties’ Community Mental Health Programs, as well as the implementation of several new Medicaid 1115 waiver benefits and the coordination of public health modernization efforts.
An outgrowth of that relationship-building work is a state-county-city collaboration with the Oregon Housing & Community Services department begun this spring to maximize the impact of $26 million homelessness emergency response funding. The funding was earmarked in HB 5019 this session for communities within the Balance of State Continuum of Care which includes 26 of Oregon’s 36 counties. The collaboration has yielded a two-pronged approach for disbursing the funds which is built on a shared commitment to geographic equity; a portion of the $26M will be targeted to meeting the bill requirements to create 100 new shelter beds and rehouse 450 people, with the remainder dedicated to building the capacity of every interested county to respond to its homelessness and housing needs and to draw down available state funding in coming biennia that most rural and frontier counties have not historically had the capacity to do.
The Local Government Advisory Committee for Health & Health Human Services meets monthly on the fourth Friday at 10:00 a.m. in the Human Services Building, Room 160, 500 Summer Street NE in Salem.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt, AOC legislative affairs manager
Jun 23, 2023 | AOC News
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is seeking a permanent director. They would like your input to inform the search. Motus Executive Search will host listening sessions to gather the perspectives of community partners to identify the key attributes and skills you would like to see in the next OHA director.
The Motus team will facilitate a 60-minute listening session, guided by five structured questions. Motus is dedicated to fostering productive collaboration and meaningful communication throughout this listening session. They encourage you to share any additional input and insight from your perspective. After each question is asked, the Motus facilitator will pause to listen to feedback and responses from the group.
The questions will focus on the health challenges and opportunities facing Oregon communities in coming years, the type of leadership style you would like to see in OHA’s next leader and the experience and track record of engagement they should have in diversity, equity and inclusion.
All listening sessions will be conducted and recorded virtually via Zoom. The listening sessions will be held:
- July 10th from 12pm to 1 pm
- July 12th from 6 pm to 7 pm
- July 14th from 1 pm to 2 pm
The Zoom link for each session is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7669630318?pwd=U2VMZlRXWlRxNnQ5MWZIeDRvNi8wdz09
To attend via phone, the toll-free number to call is 888-788-0099 and you will be prompted to enter the meeting ID and passcode.
Meeting ID: 766963 0318
Passcode: 987654
The Oregon Health Authority’s mission is to ensure that all people and communities in Oregon can achieve optimum physical, mental, and social well-being through partnerships, prevention, and access to quality, affordable health care.
For more information, you can review the OHA director recruitment job posting.
Jun 16, 2023 | AOC News
On June 16, the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) celebrated the graduation of twenty-four students from diverse backgrounds including County commissioners, judges, staff, and OSU Extension staff.
The County College program, sponsored by CIS and Oregon State University (OSU) Extension, began in 2006 in partnership with the OSU Extension Service, and for four years, ran every year. Since the 2009 class, it has run every other year in odd years. Designed primarily for new commissioners, judges, chairs, and high-level staff, the program offers a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities and authorities of a county, and a county commissioner, judge, or chair, including legal, government ethics, public meetings and records, parliamentary procedure, and much more.
Over six months, County College participants engaged in over 80 hours of educational programming from over 75 content experts and thought leaders. In addition, they gained hands-on experience with tours at the OSU, Oregon Forest Science Complex, the Oregon State Hospital Museum, the Marion Resource Recovery Facility, and the Marion County Public Works Facility.
In November, the 2023 County College class will come together again for a formal graduation ceremony as part of the 2023 AOC Annual Conference Opening General Session at the Graduate Eugene.
Congratulations to the Graduates of the 2023 County College Program:
- Chair Shane Alderson, Baker County
- Commissioner Christina Witham, Baker County
- Commissioner Kellie Jo Smith, Columbia County
- Commissioner Rod Taylor, Coos County
- Nikkol Taylor, Coos County
- Commissioner Brad Alcorn, Curry County
- Commissioner Jonathan Trost, Curry County
- Assistant to the County Commissioners/ Employee Resources Officer Miranda Rees, Gilliam County
- Commissioner Leah Watkins, Gilliam County
- Executive Assistant to the County Judge Delaney Watkins, Gilliam County
- Judge William Hart, Harney County
- Commissioner Mark Wunsch, Jefferson County
- Legal Secretary Kassie Austin, Josephine County
- Commissioner David Loveall, Lane County
- Commissioner David Sykes, Morrow County
- Commissioner Jeff Wenholz, Morrow County
- Commissioner Roy Drago, Morrow County
- Regional Director Nicole Strong, OSU Extension / AOC Districts 2 and 3
- Local Liaison Laura Corder, OSU Extension / Douglas County
- Service District Administrator Tammi Gaskey, Sherman County
- Commissioner Cindy Timmons, Umatilla County
- Commissioner Phil Brady, Wasco County
- Administrative Services Director Ali Postlewait, Wasco County
- Commissioner Kit Johnston, Yamhill County
View the entire 2023 county college program curriculum and agendas here.
Contributed by Kristen Paul, AOC public affairs associate
Jun 15, 2023 | AOC News
The mission of the Housing Stability Council is to provide leadership in, and review and set policy for, the development and financing of affordable housing throughout the state of Oregon.
The nine-member council meets monthly and additionally as needed to:
- Help establish strategic direction and a policy framework for OHCS.
- Set policy for and issue decisions regarding loans, grants, and funding awards.
- Help the director foster constructive partnerships with other state agencies and key partners engaged in housing and community services, and more.
Click here to view the Scouncil’s charter for a complete understanding of the Housing Stability Council’s duties.
Interested individuals can learn more and apply online before June 30.
Contributed by: Jessica Pratt, AOC legislative affairs manager
Jun 14, 2023 | AOC News, Member Services
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Membership Committee is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2023-2024 AOC Membership Exchange Program.
The application process includes a quick, five-minute survey to help identify which counties you are interested in learning more about and what you hope to share about your county with your colleagues.
Based on the application information, applicants will be placed in pairs or small groups and encouraged to plan county visits to get on the ground exposure to county successes, projects, and programs across diverse geographic regions and county structures.
Introduced in 2021 by the AOC Membership Committee, the AOC Membership Exchange Program was created to support AOC’s purpose to unite and advance county issues, foster trust in county government, and develop programs and services that support the success of counties into the future. Since inception, over 20 participants representing 16 counties, have planned exchange visits across the state.
Learn more about the program timeline and apply today on the program’s webpage. The applications portal will close on Friday, July 7 at 12:00 midnight PDT.
Contributed by Kristen Paul, AOC public affairs associate
Jun 14, 2023 | AOC Advocacy, AOC News, Natural Resources
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) has continuously engaged with the legislature, state agencies, and stakeholders in the development of comprehensive wildfire policies for numerous sessions. By focusing on thoughtful, effective, and regionally tailored wildfire policy, AOC has been able to ensure the county perspective is not only at the negotiating table but included in the implementation of statewide policy on wildfire.
Senate Bill 80B (2023) makes many technical changes to the 2021 Wildfire bill, SB 762, including revisiting the statewide wildfire risk map. Based on AOC Natural Resources Steering Committee principles and discussions, AOC staff and steering committee chairs worked with bill sponsor Senator Jeff Golden (D-Ashland), the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and Wildfire Program Advisory Council Chair Mark Bennett and Director Doug Grafe on statutory changes with the goal of an improved statewide wildfire hazard map.
Upon passage of SB 80, statute now requires that, “to ensure local characteristics in each area of this state are considered in the mapping process and before the draft map is released, the department shall meet with county commissioners and their staff in eight in-person meetings throughout this state.”
The bill goes on to say that after those meetings occur and the map is released for public comment, counties will have one additional opportunity to meet with ODF to discuss additional concerns and potential changes to the map. This process must be “interactive and does not consist solely of delivering information in a top-down manner.”
Finally, to ensure that counties have an active role in the wildfire mapping process, ODF stated on the legislative record that, “The department will receive and consider all comments and concerns for integration into the map, and if they are not integrated, an explanation on why will be provided.”
These county-ODF meetings will be scheduled in coordination with the AOC District Meetings this fall. AOC staff is meeting with county planning directors in advance of the fall ODF meetings to ensure counties are prepared to engage meaningfully in the map review process.
“We look forward to meeting with county commissioners and staff as we put the Wildfire Hazard Map together later this year,” said Cal Mukumoto, Oregon State Forester. “Through working together with counties we were able to craft language that works for both parties. Knowing the local concerns and issues faced in specific areas will help us make a map that is beneficial statewide.”
Contributed by: Branden Pursinger, AOC legislative affairs manager
