The bell has rung - let the bidding begin!
EDITORIA:
S
Health care crisis fa r wider
than DOJ report
hen it comes to police conduct in this city, there is
always a bounty of finger pointing to go around.
W
The Department of Justice’s report on its
investigation of the Portland Police Bureau points its own
fingers, too. It is critical of the police bureau’s
“unconstitutional” overuse of force, including the repeated
application of Tasers, on people experiencing or perceived
to be experiencing mental illness. It points to the bureau’s
administration and deficiencies in policy, training and
supervision. We agree, and support the creation of an
independent body for police oversight.
——
DOJ also
cites a lack
of The
capacity
in social
services to handle mental
The potentially
devastating interaction health crisis situation,
including the absence of
between police and
people in the throes of crisis triage center. Entire
mental crisis has to be chains of communication
________________________ had gaping holes between
a health care priority.
the street and accessing
acute care.
Indeed, the report packs its criticism with caveats around
limited resources and an inordinate expectation that police
officers take care of mental health crises, at least as they
appear on the streets, among those facing perhaps of the
worst moments of their lives.
One finger is missing, however. The one that should be
pointing back at Washington D.C. and the health care
industrial complex. This is a health care issue, after all, and
for all the potential the DOJ report can offer us in terms of
reform and improvements; it is a view through the lens of
the criminal justice system.
The potentially devastating interaction between police
and people in the throes of mental crisis has to be a health
care priority. We can appeal to local and state services to
refine programs and dedicate more funding to the cause,
but until we have meaningful health care reform at the
federal level we cannot create the systemic change needed
to prevent the tragedies occurring on our streets.
The Affordable Care Act significantly improved options
for people with mental health issues, but it does not
ensure a federal commitment to funding mental health
care. For children and low-income individuals and families,
mental health care relies on federal and state programs
such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health
Insurance Program. Yet these programs are routinely cut.
Medicaid reimbursements are far below the cost of
treatment, and states are forced to shift or reduce funding
to services for the poor.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness,
states have cut more than $1.6 billion from their mental
health services over the past three years. Oregon has
bucked this trend, slightly increasing its funding for mental
health services. But this crisis doesn’t have boundaries,
and clearly the commitment falls short of the need we see
daily in our city.
If the federal government wants to look at the problem of
people in mental crisis on our streets, it has to point the
first finger at its own policies toward health care, body and
mind.
members of the North American Street
Newspaper Association and the International
Network of Street Papers.
Street Roots
211 NW Davis St
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax: 503-227-3117
www.streetroots.org
www.streetroots.wordpress.com
treet Roots fourth annual online
auction is happening now at www.
streetrootsauction.org. The 10-day
event runs from now until 4 p.m. Sunday,
Oct. 7.
We have some
™ great items for
readers, no matter
M II 1 C 1 0 S Ì
your budget. We have
D IS K
items that would
make for a perfect
By Israel Bayer
date night, or a fun
Portland adventure
with the family. Get
some groceries at
New Seasons, or go to one of the many
breweries or eateries that supported us this
year. Check out one of our many items in
our health and wellness section.
We have a private show available from
the great Casey Neill, piano lessons from
the Decemberists’ Jenny Conlee, hot air
balloon rides, lunch with City Commissioner
Nick Fish and County Commissioner
Deborah Kafoury, dinner with the Jesuit
Volunteer Corps Mac House, and a day in
the life at the Portland Mercury, to name a
few.
Israel Bayer is the
executive director o f
Street Roots. You can
reach him at
israel @streetroots. org
We have signed comics from Pulitzer
Prize finalists Matt Bors and Jack Ohman,
signed artwork from Nikki McClure and
photography from yours truly. Not to
mention we have a lots of affordable items
from around PDX, including tickets to
upcoming shows. We have gift certificates
to bookstores, museums and a range of
local businesses that make up the heart of
this city.
Taking part in the online auction is a
great way to treat yourself or a loved one or
to sock away some holiday gifts. We try to
offer items through the online auction that
many readers will already use in their daily
lives.
So, what are you waiting for? Head over
to www.streetrootsauction.org and start
your bidding. You can also check out the
back page of this issue to see the
individuals and businesses that are taking
part. Your support of the organization will
go toward supporting our award-winning
journalism, vendor programs and advocacy
work. Your support means the world to all
of us at Street Roots. Give some love this
week and get something great back in
return.
LETTERS
s reflection on homelessness a reminder of common ties
want to thank Solara McFarland for a
well-written essay about life on the
streets, and remembering those who still
live in that world. Those of us who have our
basic needs met in a safe and comfortable
manner too often take that for granted, and
I
city. I was astonished by the professionalism
and salesmanship each displayed. All had
their own sales pitch, and one man even
convinced me I needed a past edition as it
contained the annual report, which I
promptly purchased. The articles were of
too easily turn a blind eye to those who are
struggling w ith hom elessness. This essaylT ”
interest and well done. Thanks fo r sta rtin g
this program to grVea'Tiand up not a'hand
a reminder to all of us that we are all
connected, all human beings who deserve
respect, not judgement. Thank you Solara
for showing us how easy it is to care.
-K A T H Y
Portland
out. You are, as they say, “teaching people
to fish,” as opposed to giving them fish; the
program provides dignity, confidence and a
better world.
This should be what the politicians
should be concerned about, the people of
our nation!
-JO Y C E BOWERS
Orlando Florida
Newspaper a model for
dignity, a better world
recently visited Portland on a short
vacation from Orlando, Florida. I wanted
to let you know that you have a beautiful
city, a great newspaper and wonderful
professional vendors. Over the several days
I visited Portland I encountered several of
your vendors, two at the Saturday market,
in front of the Marriott I was staying in, and
several others on my various walks in the
I
Thanks always appreciated!
am a middle class, middle aged
Portlander. And I have come to realize
that your paper is the most intelligent and
rational in Portland. Thank you for your
good work!
-K A T H Y
Portland
I
WHAT DO
Send letters to the editor to the Street Roots office, 211 NW Davis St.,
YOU THINK? Port'anc*' 97209, or by e-mail to joanne@streetroots.org.
'mu
Operations Director Sara Beecroft
Program Assistant Kara Dlmitruk,
Volunteer AmeriCorps Member
Grant Writer Sarah Cloud
Development Assistant Cynthia Kiehl
Reporters Jake Thomas, Alex Zielinski, Robert
Britt, Sue Zaiokar
Photographers Leah Nash, Ken Hawkins, Kristina
Wright
Stay connected with us online
through Facebook and Twitter
Street Roots Rose City Resource
Street Roots publishes the Rose City Resource, a
comprehensive booklet of services for people
experiencing homelessness and poverty.
To inquire about getting an order of the Rose City
Resource for distribution, please write to
pdxrosecityresource@gmail.com. Resources are also
available online at www.rosecityresource.org.
Vendor orientations are at 1 p.m. every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at the Street Roots office.