Multnomah County has delayed the opening of its drug counseling center until mid- or late October because the county needs more time to train its staff and address safety concerns among residents of the Buckman neighborhood, where the center is currently being built.
The center, located at 900 Southeast Sandy Boulevard, was scheduled to open on September 1, the day illegal drugs are scheduled to be re-criminalized across Oregon. That date was set by lawmakers when they repealed large portions of Measure 110 and re-criminalized possession of controlled substances.
As part of the repeal, lawmakers called on counties to “steer” people into treatment rather than jail. Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson has been pushing for months to open the diversion center by Sept. 1, despite citizen objections. Commissioner Sharon Meieran also called for a pause, saying the plan is not fully developed.
Vega Pederson announced the delay at a press conference today. She also unveiled a new name for the diversion center: Coordinated Care Pathway Center.
“I have stated that we will open the Coordinated Care Pathway Center as long as we are ready and can safely provide diversion services,” Vega Pederson said in a statement. “After listening to the experts, neighbors and community, we will take the additional time we need to open in a way that is safest for the people we seek to care for, for the staff and for our community.”
Until the center opens in October, mobile units from the county health department will handle diversion, Vega Pederson said. They will refer people to treatment and other services. The county is currently working on “medical and procedural guidelines to assist law enforcement in deciding when and how to refer someone for diversion,” the county said.
House Bill 4002, which repealed much of Measure 110, would allow people stopped for using illegal drugs to request a diversion of their arrest if there is no warrant or other criminal charge against them at the time of arrest.
Vega Pederson developed the county’s diversion program with a team that included Portland Police Chief Bob Day, Gresham Police Chief Travis Gullberg, Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, and mental health and criminal justice experts.
A building permit for the center, which is housed in an old printing warehouse, will not be issued until Aug. 28 at the earliest, the county said. Once that happens, Tuerk House, the Baltimore-based contractor that will operate the center, will move into the facility and begin training staff.
Tuerk House is hiring staff, a process that has been slowed by a nursing shortage that will continue even after the pandemic subsides. “More time is needed to recruit, train staff and ensure compliance with licensing and permitting requirements,” the county said.
“I want to thank the health department staff for working tirelessly to develop a diversion model in collaboration with Tuerk House,” said Rachael Banks, health department director, in a statement. “We are committed to providing diversion services safely, guided by behavioral health care best practices.”
