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September IO. 2008
H ealth MATTERS
Ground Broken for Mental Health Hospital
Begins long awaited replacement
Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Sen­
ate President Peter Courtney
joined Oregon State Hospital pa­
tients, mental health advocates,
other lawmakers and local offi­
c ia ls
for
the
o ffic ia l
groundbreaking of a key compo­
nent of Oregon’s new state hos­
pital system.
The Sept. 3 groundbreaking
commemorates the beginning of
a five-year construction project
that will bring the long-awaited
replacement of O regon's 125-
year-old state hospital in Salem.
Construction on the planned
620-bed, 700,000-square-foot
hospital in Salem will be com­
pleted in 2011. A second hospital
with a capacity of 360 beds is
scheduled to open in Junction
City in 2013.
"T o d a y 's g ro u n d b reak in g
comes after years of work to build
an Oregon system we can all be
proud of and that will offer real
help and real hope to Oregonians
with mental illness,” said Gov.
Kulongoski. "The construction
of these two replacement hospi­
tals will be the centerpiece for a
patient-first, patient-focused and
patient-driven mental health sys­
tem of care."
The state's mental health care
system has been a top priority of
G ov. K ulongoski and Sen.
Courtney. Within months of tak­
ing office in 2003, the Governor
established a 21 -member Mental
Health Task Force, which recom­
mended, along with construction
of two new state hospitals, a re­
covery model of care that will
provide early treatment to pre­
vent people from requiring hospi­
talization.
Under the leadership of Sen.
Courtney, the 2005-2007 Legisla­
ture approved $458.1 million to
construct the two new hospitals
as well as provide funding for
community-based mental health
treatment so that people can get
the help they need before having
to enter the hospital.
No Link between Autism, Vaccine
M.D. Students Begin Classes
T he O regon H ealth and Sci­
en c e U n iv e rsity S chool o f
M ed icin e o pened its c la ss­
room doors last w eek for 115
new m e d ic a l stu d e n ts. O f
these, 68 students are O regon
resid en ts.
T h e n ew s tu d e n ts , w ho
w ere selected from a pool o f
m ore than 5,0 0 0 applicants.
T h is year's class also in ­
c lu d e s th re e stu d e n ts w ho
su c c e ssfu lly c o m p le te d the
sch o o l's P o st-B a c c a la u rea te
C onditional A cceptance P ro ­
gram .
T he nationally unique p ro ­
gram is designed to increase
the num ber o f clinicians from
d isa d v a n ta g e d and d iv e rse
b ackgrounds. It offers c o n ­
ditional acceptance to id en ti­
fied historically disadvantaged
stu d e n ts w h o se tra d itio n a l
The 125-year-old Oregon State Hospital in Salem will be
replaced with a new state-of-the-art mental health facility.
The path to create a better
mental health system came after
years of neglect of a hospital that
became obsolete long ago. Sen.
Courtney noted.
“We are well past the time to
replace thisold and decrepit build­
ing,” said Sen. Courtney. “As
lawmakers, it is our responsibility
to ensure that this vulnerable
population is treated with respect
and dignity in a safe, secure envi­
ronment that fosters healing. Con­
structing new hospitals and grow­
ing a mental health system will
greatly ensure individuals’ timely
return to their communities and
their successful long term recov­
ery.”
(AP) - A new study found no evidence of!
a link between autism and the com bined
measles, m umps and rubella vaccine.
Researchers hope the findings will help
boost the rate o f immunization against these
illnesses am id some parental concerns about
a potential link.
Parental concerns about potential vac­
cine risks by people who have opted not to
have their children vaccinated have led to a
major surge in m easles outbreaks in the
United States and Europe, the CDC says.
M easles kills some 250,000 people a year,
mostly children in developing countries.
One chi Id in 150 have autism or Asperger's
in the United States, CD C data show.
m edical school applications
w ere declined.
O regon residents w ho e n ­
roll in the program are put
through the paces o f an in te n ­
siv e th re e -te rm c o u rse d e ­
signed to im prove study skills,
develop and enhance a fo u n ­
dation in science, and prepare
students for the rigors o f the
O H SU School o f M edicine
curriculum .
SMALL-BUSINESS FAIR
Do you dream of owning a business,
but d o n ’t know w h ere to start?
A health worker vaccinates
a girl against measles.
Do you have a business,
but y o u ’re con fu sed ab ou t requirem ents?
If yOU Want answers, com e to the 15th an n u al S m all-B u sin ess
Fair, w here ex p erts w ill explain how to get you r b u sin ess goin g, run it
successfully, and com ply w ith local, sta te, and federal regulations.
W arning against Rabid Bats
Free workshops
• Turning a dream into reality
• The future o f business
• Marketing your business
• E-commerce
• Business advertising
• The art of selling
Oregon health officials are
warning people to protect them­
selves and their pets from rabies
after finding five rabid bats since
the beginning of 2008.
"People can take two pre­
cautions to protect them selves
and their pets from bats and
rabies," said Dr. Emilio DeBess,
p u b lic h e a lth v e te rin a ria n .
"Never handle bats; and make
sure your cats and dogs are up
to date on their rabies vac­
cines."
Bats, which are most active in
Saturday, Sept. 20
8:45 a.m .-4:30 p.m.
Oregon Convention Center
777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon
FREE ADMISSION
Sponsored by local, state, and federal
agencies and nonprofit organizations.
For more information, call (503/235-7575
or visit www.oregonbizfair.org.
warm weather, play an important your doctor about vaccination.”
O f the sick and dead bats tested
role in the ecosystem, especially
in controlling insects at night. in Oregon during the last 10 years,
Oregon bats often eat mosqui­ about 9.5 percent have had ra­
toes andean catchover l.OOOtiny bies.
Other mammals in Oregon can
insects in an hour.
be
infected with rabies from bats.
“ U nfortunately, bats often
"Vaccinating pets against ra­
carry rabies,” said DeBess. "If
bies
protects them and provides
you find a bat during the daylight
a
buffer
zone between humans
hours, it is probably not healthy
and
rabid
wild animals,” he said.
and should be avoided."
“And,
sadly,
if a pet is unvacci­
"Bats that don't have rabies
nated
and
is
exposed to rabies,
generally don’t fly into people,”
the
recommendation
is that it be
said DeBess. “So if a bat touches
you, think about rabies and ask euthanized."
H ealth W atch
Maternity Water Workout — nior programs and activities. For
H e lp in g new m om s reg ain
m uscle tone, strength and flex­
ibility, all in the support and
freedom of the water. Call 503-
256-4000 for more information.
¡NEW S E A S O N S _J
M A R K E T
N O W D E L IV E R IN G
Y o u r fa v o rite n e ig h b o r h o o d g r o c e r y s to re n o w d e liv e rs
g r o c e r ie s rig h t to y o u r h o m e o r o ffic e .
more information, call 503-241 -
3059.
Welcome to Medicare -- Thurs­
day, June 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. and
Saturday, June 28 from 10 a.m.
C hildbirth Preparation -- to noon, Mt. Hood Com m unity
Thursdays, starting Thursday, College will provide a free two-
June 19, from 7 to 9 p.m., this hour class to help participants
four-w eek series aims to help understand the fundam entals
first-tim e parents prepare for a regarding various benefit op­
more com fortable labor and de­ tions. To register, call 503-491 -
livery with lectures, practice and 7572.
discussions; fee $85 per couple. M atern ity O rien tation --
To register, call 503-574-6595. Thursday, June 26, from 7 :45 to
Big Brothers & Big Sisters — 8:45 p.m., this free class is to
A
w w w .n e w s e a s o n s m a r k e t.c o m
you click, we deliver, (or pull up for pick up)
S a tu rd a y ,Ju n e 21 from lO to 11
a.m.. this special sibling class is
fo r a g e s 3 to 6 to h e lp
preschoolers prepare for their
new role as a big sister or
b r o th e r . P a re n ts m u st be
present. To register, call 503-
574-6595.
help fam iliarize parents-to-be
with the maternity unit and an­
sw er any questions they may
have regarding labor and deliv­
ery. To register, call 503-574-
6595.
Bereavement Support Groups -
- Free, safe confidential group
meetings for those who have
Childbirth Refresher Course-
experienced the death of a loved)
- Sunday, June 22 from noon to
one offered on various nights
4 p.m., refresher class for par­
and locations. For inform ation
ents who have taken a child­
and registration, call 503-215-
birth prep class to reviewing
4622.
m edications, breathing, relax­
ation techniques and birthing Mammography Screening -
options; fee $55. To register, Early detection is a key factor in
call 503-574-6595.
the prevention o f breast can­
cer. Call 503-251-6137 to sched­
Container G ard en s- Seminar
ule your high-tech, soft-touch
is W ednesday, June 25 from
mammogram.
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Oasis
Center- largeclassroom, M acy's Smoke-Free Support Group -
4th Floor. 621 S.W. Fifth Ave.; meets M ondays, 7 to 8 p.m. For
$7 fee. The Everyday W ellness more information, call 503-256-
Clinic at Oasis offers many se­ 4<XK).