SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM ❚ WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 ❚ 3B
Kimberly Thoma, an Oregon State Hospital employee and SEIU union official who has concerns about understaffing and safety at the state-run psychiatric hospital.
KELLY JORDAN / STATESMAN JOURNAL
OSH
Continued from Page 3A
Court earlier this year found the state in
contempt of court for not admitting pa
tients quick enough. Since then, a feder
al judge has declined to issue a con
tempt finding and given the state more
time to work on improvements and end
its backlog of patients waiting to enter
the hospital.
Part of the hospital's plan includes
opening two, eightbed cottages on the
Junction City campus for patients who
are civilly committed and open another
10 beds in Junction City for civil com
mitments.
This will free up more space in Salem
for "aid and assist" patients. The hospi
tal will convert a civil commitment unit
to treat "and assist" patients.
Flat Water
Continued from Page 1B
er water levels at other times.
Waldo and Other High Lakes
Waldo Lake is not just one of the best
places to paddle in Oregon, it is one of
the best places to paddle in the world.
The water is indescribably beautiful
hues of blue and green, you can paddle
as much or as little as you want, you will
never have a close encounter with a jet
ski or a motor boat, and you can even
The hospital aims to complete that
work in September.
"This is the right thing to do, both for
the patients already in the hospital and
for those people who are waiting to be
admitted," hospital superintendent
Dolly Matteucci wrote in a June 11 staff
memo. "We understand this change will
be difficult for both patients and staff,
and these changes are consistent with
our mission and charge to serve all Ore
gonians who need hospitallevel care."
The hospital's plan also highlights
the obvious: there are other options, in
cluding community care for those who
no longer need hospitallevel care.
The hospital's goals include develop
ing plans for putting another $7.6 mil
lion into community restoration ser
vices in Oregon, so patients who no
longer need to be in the hospital can go
there for care. Those plans are due by
Aug. 2.
At the same time, community mental
health providers are raising concerns
about the proposed budget for the Ore
gon Health Authority, which cuts fund
ing for community mental health pro
grams by $15.4 million.
The Association of Oregon Commu
nity Mental Health Programs says that
will hurt communitybased services
and programs that help people in the
justice system avoid highercost care at
the hospital.
“Simply adding to one new program
while cutting another will not move us
in the right direction.” said Kimberly
Lindsay, president of the association
and executive director of Community
Counseling Solutions, which serves
Morrow, Wheeler, Grant and Gilliam
counties.
Oregon policymakers will be watch
ing the issue closely.
The governor's office said given those
concerns raised by community mental
health providers, the Oregon Health Au
thority will take steps to ensure they are
not impacted for the next 18 months.
This will give them time to review ca
seloads and funding formulas and come
back to the Legislature with recommen
dations, said Morawski, with the gover
nor's office.
Hospital employees say ending the
need for hospitallevel care would serve
Oregon well.
But it's unlikely to happen, given the
high need in Oregon.
"It would be great if there was no
longer a need for my unit and what I do,"
Thoma said. "Unfortunately, that's not
the case."
Ben Botkin covers Oregon state gov-
ernment. You can reach him at bbot-
kin@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-
6687 or follow him on Twitter @BenBot-
kin1
backcountry camp with your SUP, kay
ak, or canoe. But we are fortunate to
have many high lakes with similar ap
peal. Timothy Lake and Crescent Lake
have great beaches. Blue River Lake and
Davis Lake have great solitude. Sparks,
Hosmer, and Wallows lakes all have fan
tastic views.
movies and TV shows, marinas filled
with luxury yachts, shipping traffic,
grain terminals, giant marine cranes,
and even the nautical homeless. Oh,
and all of Portland’s many bridges. If
you paddle during the Rose Festival, you
can also see dragon boat races and im
mense Navy ships. This should be done
as a oneway downriver float, from Sell
wood Park to Cathedral Park. Be pre
pared to have virtually nowhere to land
on that approximately 10mile stretch of
busy river.
sive; 15,000 acres of wetlands adjacent
to Agency Lake and Upper Klamath
Lake. The Upper Klamath Canoe Trail is
a maze of narrow waterways through
the marsh, lined with reeds, bulrushes,
cattails, and lily pads. The paddling is
virtually endless, and the birdwatching
is among the best anywhere. My favor
ite resident is the belted kingfisher,
which perches silently on posts or reeds
before diving headfirst into the water to
catch fish and other aquatic prey. Go in
the springtime to see the huge floating
yellow flowers of the wocus lily. Bring
plenty of mosquito repellent.
Willamette River at Portland
This paddle is not for the faint of
heart, nor is it for beginners. But it is,
quite simply, really cool and totally
unique. The Willamette River in Port
land is filled with fascinating things, like
an attack submarine that has been in
Upper Klamath Canoe Trail
The Upper Klamath marsh is mas
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