Chair Wheeler's statement on Cascadia
State and County Partner to Avert Mental Health Crisis
Statement of Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler
May 1, 2008
For the last two weeks, Multnomah County staff has been working closely with the State of Oregon and Cascadia Behavioral Health to avoid a crisis in the provision of mental health services to our community. This morning, in Executive Session, the Board of County Commissioners heard a briefing on the crisis at Cascadia Behavioral Health. Last night, Cascadia’s bank told us that they had collected an outstanding loan by seizing the funds in Cascadia’s bank account which would have covered the paychecks that are due today to Cascadia’s employees.
Without extraordinary action to replace those funds, the services to people with mental illness in our community would be immediately cut off. This would have potentially devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable citizens in our community.
Continuing the services that are currently provided by Cascadia is a very high priority both for Multnomah County and the State of Oregon. This morning the Board of County Commissioners supported a plan to work with the State of Oregon in taking emergency action to meet Cascadia’s payroll today. Both the state and the county will accelerate payments for services that Cascadia has already provided but for which it has not yet been paid. This will allow the County and State time to more fully develop a strategy for the continuity of critical mental health services in our community.
We will continue to meet with our partners and with Cascadia to discuss strategies to maximize continuity in mental health services while minimizing the need for additional extraordinary actions. I am relieved that we have averted a more serious crisis today and I can assure you that we are working hard to provide stability for the future.
My deepest appreciation goes to the front-line staff at Cascadia who continue to perform heroic work. My highest priority is continuing the services to vulnerable people in the community. The arrangements we have made today allow for services to continue. We will continue to work with our partners in government and our partners in the community to ensure that services are well-delivered and stable.
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NOTE: Clients who receive services should plan on continued contact with their current providers and anyone with questions is always welcome to call Multnomah County’s Mental Health Call Center. It is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at 503-988-4888.
Posted on May 1, 2008
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