Oregon seeks federal OK to allow Medicaid funds to treat incarcerated people
The federal government will allow Medicaid dollars to treat some people in prisons, jails or juvenile detention centers for the first time ever. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday that it will allow California inmates to access limited services — and Oregon is negotiating over a similar request. The Oregon Health Authority says California’s approval provides a roadmap and it should help speed up a decision for Oregon. The inmate services include substance use treatment and mental health diagnoses 90 days before being released. Since Medicaid was established, federal law has prohibited Medicaid money from being used for people in custody, with inmates having access to their health care coverage suspended. (OPB Staff and Associated Press)
Report: Downtown Portland is still struggling to recover
Foot traffic in downtown Portland increased in the past year but a new report by Downtown Clean & Safe shows the number of pedestrians has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Overall, the number of people in the 213-block service district increased by nearly 26% from 2021, thanks to large-scale events, dining and entertainment opportunities. But foot traffic within the service district was still only 60% recovered from 2019 levels, and is behind other major cities recovering from the pandemic. (Jim Redden/The Portland Tribune)
Lane County’s new shelter falling short on its promises, residents say
Last summer, Lane County and the city of Eugene opened a new, so-called “low-barrier” shelter for unhoused people. The River Avenue Navigation Center was the product of years of planning. It was hailed as a significant achievement in a county where more than 10,000 people were “actively homeless” at some point last year, according to the county’s Human Services Division. Six months after officials cut the ribbon, however, some residents say the facility is falling short of its promises. Some residents complain of yelling and frequent fights, rampant drug use and a lack of overall cleanliness at the facility. (Chris M Lehman/KLCC)
Vancouver aims to add more tree canopy and equity
The city of Vancouver, armed with lofty environmental ambitions, is seeking to revise its urban forestry management plan — last updated in 2007 — to lay out efforts to achieve tree equity by planting more trees in neighborhoods with more people of color and more poverty. A public meeting to get input is set for March 18. A recent report by American Forests, a nonprofit centered on forest health, gave the city a tree equity score of 78 out of 100. To reach 100, the city would need to add more than 670,000 trees to its canopy. Right now, about 19% of the city has tree canopy. “It’s not terrible,” urban forester Charles Ray said, “but there is room for improvement.” (Lauren Ellenbecker/The Columbian)
Increasing fentanyl use in Lane County prompts new awareness program
A rise in fentanyl use in Lane County has led to increases in 911 calls, emergency room visits and deaths, worrying public health officials who are launching an awareness campaign to try to address the problem. Officials say the awareness campaign will include education on Narcan, information on the signs and symptoms of an overdose and how to respond, and other community resources. Officials also plan to promote educational tools online and through social media, and partner with local school districts and community organizations. (Makenzie Elliott/Eugene Register-Guard)
Rogue Retreat hires new executive director
After months of turmoil, the largest homeless services provider in the Rogue Valley hired a new executive director. Sam Engel will step in at Rogue Retreat, taking over for an interim team that had managed the Southern Oregon nonprofit since the firing of its founder last August for poor financial management. Facing a $2 million budget shortfall this year, the organization has already scaled back some projects, shifting its focus toward its homeless shelters and case management. (Roman Battaglia/JPR)