Empower Oregon

James’ story: addictions treatment

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:49:56 +0000

I feel treatment is a need in today’s society because of the drug use. Treatment was a stepping stone to rebuild ties that were broken with family, friends as well as children. Because of treatment I’m now able to be a 3.72 GPA student and built relationships in the community. So, I ask you to vote yes on 66 and 67 because treatment services changed my life.
— James Jenkins

Voices of Homelessness

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:20:11 +0000

Sisters Of The Road is a non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon, that supports community driven solutions to the calamities of homelessness and poverty in an atmosphere of nonviolence and gentle personalism.

Since 1979, Sisters has believed that in order to end homelessness, it is imperative to listen to the experts – the people with experience of homelessness and poverty.

In 2001, Sisters conducted a research study to amplify the voices of people experiencing homelessness. Sisters completed 600 one-to-one interviews asking people about their experiences. After being transcribed and coded, using over hundreds categories and themes, 515 of the interviews are now accessible to the public and usable for analysis.

Some excerpts from these interviews appear below.

Narrator: Well, if…let us…let us somebody is…has addictions and…to drugs or alcohol or something, they…and they want to help themselves and you…you go to a program that says they have the help and they say, “Oh yeah, we…we can help you,” and then turn around, it turns out to be a 6-month waiting list, most…most people that are…have addictions, they will say, “Well, forget it, I’ll just go some place else, that is no help, so I’ll just go back to my ways and drink,” and, you know, you are not getting anywhere to the person, you got to almost grab onto that person when they are…when…when they really want it…

Interviewer: And so, when somebody comes to you, an agency, saying that they want help how do you think it should be different versus putting them on a waiting list for 6 months?

Narrator: You have to have the resources of the places to…to help them, you know, to…they ____ their hands are tied, you know, and it is too…too congested…

Narrator: I think that’s just the reality of it and I think we’ve basically made some attempts but we could do a whole lot more. I don’t think we have done very much for helping people in needs in some ways. I applaud the agencies that are doing what they can, but there can be a lot more done. It’s a real contrast these days when you see what’s going on with big corporation and their ways to underhanded dealings and the fact that we have people barely scraping by.

Interviewer: Who do you think has the power to change the situation for the better?

Narrator: Supposedly the people have the power, but it’s a very complex political situation. And, it’s kinda overwhelming, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease. So, I think it has to be. There’s so many people that are overlooked because we look for the “leaders” and we waste a lot of resources that way.

Interviewer: So, if you feel like the city is not providing any solutions for homelessness, what would you propose to be done?

Narrator: The first thing is quit cutting the homeless budget.

NARRATOR: I was there like 5 days in a row and I am not sure ____ first 6 people you are not gonna get in. same thing at TPI, if you need ID, if you are not among the first 5 persons in the morning or in the afternoon you are not gonna get in, took me 2 months to get

INTERVIEWER: maybe okay but they are certainly limited for access

NARRATOR: well everything is limited, all their services, because of the budget cuts. So it makes it hard

INTERVIEW: what do you think what needs to be done?

NARRATOR: I think bureaucrats to get out, I think they need to over turn the non- __ law, and I think Bush needs to get out

INTERVIEW: who needs

NARRATOR: Bush our President.

Narrator: …I mean, you know, because they are cutting, you know, lot of facilities are cutting programs where once upon a time you may have been able to go to a place and stay 6 months, it might be 3 months now. It is just….it is just a lot of cuts all over the country I think, you know, yeah.

Interviewer: So, when you get into a program you cannot stay as long and then if you have been there before it is hard to get back in?

Narrator: Well, if you have been there too, you know, I would say a few times, I think they just….I just think they are cutting down. I have heard of guys going back and they could not get into certain places, you know, because they are making cuts, where they just cut this particular type of program out, whatever, program that they have, they have a drug and alcohol program here and they have a homeless program there. They have different, you know, different programs. People are there for different things like PTST program, a lot of Vietnam Vets. So, there is a whole of stuff there but they are starting to…..well, once upon a time the drug and alcohol program might have been 6 months and might be 3 months now, or homeless program might have been…been same thing, 6 months and might be 3 months now, so I do not know how to, you know, how to work it.

Interviewer: So do you think that, do you think something should be done to prevent that sort of use of the system?

Narrator: I don’t know, I just think they should, try a little harder to motivate the people, little harder than they are. I don’t know how they, I mean I know they are understaffed and there is a lot more people staying in there, there’s over 90 guys in right now, I now there wasn’t that many last time I was there so, they are just, I think they are just over _____ right now which is probably the main problem.

Interviewer: Yeah a lot of social services agencies just

Narrator: Specially that you know the jobs situation and the economy right now is

Interviewer: They are cutting staff, they are cutting funding, they are cutting everything you know,

Narrator: Especially after measure 28 failed

Interviewer: I was always pushing to get it, pass but didn’t quite make it.

Narrator: It’s a shame

Interviewer: So and then I think you know with mental health getting cut the Oregon health plan maybe TPI has to accept people that have mental illness, that were maybe taken care by other organizations.

Narrator: It’s probably true

Rob’s story: Community Mental Health

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:56:12 +0000

I work in community mental health as an outreach case manager/skills trainer. I work with clients in their homes and in the community to help them stabilize in order to successfully live outside of institutions.

Some people experiencing negative mental health symptoms have difficulties living independently and benefit from mental health services. Most agencies delivering mental health services do so effectively, given they have the knowledge, funding, and resources available.

In Multnomah County, most mental health services are contracted with “non-profit”, private organizations. Most, if not all, of these agencies operate on corporate business models. Upper administrators, CEOs, CFOs, COOs, VPs etc. reap salaries up to $200,000 or more per year. When inevitable budget cuts occur, agencies trim fat by eliminating services to
their clients, rarely their salaries.

Multnomah County and/or the State of Oregon should immediately assume mental health services for everyone’s best interests. Many of the so-called “non-profits” are squandering our tax dollars away with minimal oversight and accountability. Mental health services should not be a profitable business.

If these services were completely eliminated, jails and prisons would quickly overflow with even more with people experiencing mental health problems. If services are cut back more, many service recipients will see an even lower quality of life. Psychiatric hospitalizations will increase, as will the high cost to tax payers. As evidenced by the status of current funding shortfalls, suicide and murder will continue to increase. Hundreds of isolative clients would mentally decompensate and over-burden emergency services. More clients would die from lack of self-care.

Empower Oregon

admin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:06:45 +0000

We are workers dedicated to providing quality human services and opportunities to live with independence and dignity to the individuals we serve: People with mental, emotional or behavioral disorders; adults with developmental disabilities; individuals struggling to overcome substance abuse addictions and people who are homeless. The essential services we provide help our clients becomes healthier, more productive members of our community.

We are uniting our voices now to protect and improve these vital services and hope you will join us in taking action

Like the rest of the nation, Oregon is facing a severe economic crisis. Our state leaders have taken bold steps to preserve essential human services by passing new laws to increase tax fairness and ensure that corporations and the wealthy are doing their part.

Anti-government activists are already trying to repeal this tax fairness package, which would force nearly $1 Billion in cuts to essential services next February.

It is unfair to further disadvantage the people who have been hit hardest by the economic crisis—seniors, children, the unemployed, and low-income families—by cutting services that they depend on.

We have a golden opportunity right now to improve human services in Oregon.

• We can make real progress towards adequate funding for human services when the public understands and values them before they vote on the tax fairness package.

• We can improve the human service system in the Portland tri-county area for ourselves and the individuals we serve by using our collective voice. The Employee Free Choice Act will make it easier for us to do this by uniting thousands of unorganized human service workers into our union (SEIU Local 503).

Here are some simple things you can do to help:
• Tell your story. Stories are the heart of this campaign. When you tell your story you put a human face on the issues and connect with the public in a way no statistics can. Click here to submit your written story or to upload photos or video.

• Sign the Pledge. Vote yes to support tax fairness and avoid cuts to vital human services.

• Speak up. We believe the workers who actually deliver human services have valuable insights and must be part of the solution. What’s the most important change that could be made to improve these services? Fill out the survey titled “Your Voice Counts” in the left sidebar.

• Grow the movement. Get your clients, coworkers or family members to sign the pledge and tell their stories. Click the Share or Email buttons below to send them the story project page or share it on Facebook or other social networking sites.

• Host a story party. Have a BBQ or other social event where your friends can come and record their stories together. It’s more fun then Karaoke! Contact us and you’ll get you all the help you need to have a successful party.