Gov. Brown declares opioid public health crisis

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Following an earlier promise, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed two bills and an order setting new deadlines for a state drug policy commission dogged by staffing and other issues.

The order, which Brown signed Tuesday in Portland, declares addiction to be a public health crisis in the state and sets a timeline for the Oregon Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission to deliver a plan to combat the problem. Brown had announced the order, which includes several intermediary deadlines and a 2020 due date, in February.

The move is the latest in a long effort to address substance abuse through the commission, which has struggled with staffing issues and canceled meetings.

Two bills, also signed Tuesday, cover similar ground and require studying barriers to addiction treatment.

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News release from Gov. Brown’s office:

Governor Kate Brown Declares Addiction a Public Health Crisis, Signs Opioid and Substance Use Legislation Two new laws and executive order outline state’s next steps

(Portland, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today declared addiction as a public health crisis in Oregon, and signed laws at aimed improving the state’s addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery systems.

“If we can make meaningful change in addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery, we can create better lives for our families, and lift a burden off our law enforcement and foster care systems,” said Governor Brown. “We will do that by lowering barriers people face to comprehensive behavioral health, by getting rid of fail first policies, and implementing creative programs like those outlined in this legislation and executive order.”

Governor Brown signed HB 4143, a bill she introduced to the legislature in the recent session, which focuses on concrete measures to combat the opioid epidemic. An executive order that declares the public health crisis also charges the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission (APDC) with creating a statewide comprehensive strategic plan that includes addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery support. She also signed HB 4137, which requires the APDC to develop a preliminary framework of the plan and a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a comprehensive plan by November 1st, 2018.

The Governor was joined at the signing by HB 4137 sponsor Representative Tawna Sanchez, members of the Governor’s Opioid Task Force, representatives from the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, and community partners, including Oregon Recovers.

The Governor also met with volunteers from the Lines for Life substance abuse crisis hotline.

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News release from Oregon Recovers:

Gov. Kate Brown Declares Addiction is a

Public Health Crisis in Oregon

Signs legislation requiring the development of a comprehensive addiction recovery strategic plan

Portland–Governor Kate Brown issued an executive order today declaring addiction had reached the level of a public health crisis in Oregon. Additionally, she signed legislation (HB 4137) requiring the state to develop a comprehensive addiction recovery strategic plan no later than July 2020.

Prior to signing the Executive Order, the Governor said:

“Addiction is an issue that unites us all, as we feel the impacts of substance abuse every day, either through personal struggle, or through our families, friends, and colleagues. We must break through the barriers of shame to provide the best possible treatments first and the most effective assistance now.”

During the signing ceremony, Oregon Recovers Director Mike Marshall was invited to speak and said:

“By issuing this Executive Order declaring a public health crisis and by signing these two critical pieces of legislation, the Governor of Oregon has issued a clarion call for everyone to get on board with transforming Oregon into the “Recovery State.”

After the ceremony, Brent Canode, chair of Oregon Recovers stated:

“I think we’ll look back on today’s bill signing as that pivotal moment when collectively we said “enough is enough” and set a new course for the transformation of Oregon’s fractured addiction support system.”

HB 4137, authored and sponsored by Rep. Tawna Sanchez (D), requires the Oregon Alcohol & Drug Policy Commission (ADPC) to develop a framework for a strategic plan by September 15 th , 2018; issue an RFP for outside consultants to lead the planning process by November 1, 2018; and for the ADPC to submit the first-ever strategic plan to the legislature by July 1, 2020.

Additionally, the Governor signed HB 4143, which she introduced to the legislature, and which focuses on measures to combat the opioid epidemic in the state.

Almost 10% of Oregon’s population suffer from addiction issues; Oregon consistently ranks last in the nation in responding to these high rates of addiction; and addiction costs the Oregon taxpayer more than $5.9 billion annually.

For background information on the importance of today’s actions click here.