Chamber Roundtable - MEASURE 110: COMMUNITY AT A CROSSROADS

The mental and behavioral health crisis presents troubling impacts across our communities, straining public resources and impacting our quality of life. In a recent member survey, when asked what would improve the local business climate, 56.6% of respondents pointed to “Quality of Life” issues such as public safety, access to healthcare, and clean streets.

In November 2020, Oregon voters passed by referendum Measure 110, the Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act by a 17-point margin. Ballot Measure 110 eliminated criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of any drug, including cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, and earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars in cannabis tax revenue for building a statewide treatment network. The results of this reform effort are now coming into view, and some are not encouraging.

What are the root causes of Oregon’s mental and behavioral health crisis and how has Measure 110 complicated or helped the issue? How are we solving for the problem and how does Lane County measure up? What policy, funding, and private-public partnerships are in play to get us back on track?

Join us for this open discussion with leaders in business, government, healthcare, and public safety.
 

About our Speaker Heather Jefferis is the Executive Director of Oregon Council for Behavioral Health. OCBH promotes, develops, and maintains the highest quality community programs and services for the treatment of problems related to behavioral health and advocates for the recovery of Oregonians with substance use disorder and mental health disabilities.
 

The Springfield Chamber’s monthly ROUNDTABLE forums are designed to facilitate healthy dialogue on issues of interest to and impact on business and community.