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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 24, 2024)
July 24, 2024 Page 7 Homeless Mobile Intake Team Receives Award Adena Long Director Long Joins City Parks Alliance Board From left: Aging, Disability, and Veterans Services Division Senior Manager Joe Valtierra and Homeless Mobile Intake Team members: Catalina Cloud, Jody Michaelson (Senior Manager) and Byron Vaughn alongside staff members at St. Johns Village. (Photo courtesy of Motoya Nakamura/Multnomah County) Highest Honor Presented by USAging Multnomah County has an- nounced that the Aging, Disabil- ity and Veterans Services Divi- sion’s Homeless Mobile Intake Team (HMIT) received a 2024 Aging Innovations Award from USAging, one of the highest honors presented by USAging to its members. The Homeless Mobile Intake Team, was created to meet un- housed people where they live and assess them for Title XIX long-term care services and supports and other qualifying critical supports such as rent assistance and special needs funding. The team works with people to understand their liv- ing and care needs and build a person-centered plan of their choice. The program provides access to services for the most vulnerable, including dispro- portionately affected Black, Indigenous and people of col- or populations. It was among 16 local aging programs to receive Innovations honors during USAging’s 49th Annual Conference and Tradeshow. An additional 22 agencies received Achievement Awards. The 2024 USAging Aging Innovations & Achievement Awards, supported by Caregiv- ing.com and Cumulus.care, rec- ognizes USAging’s Area Agen- cy on Aging members that have found new and innovative ways to support older adults, people with disabilities and caregiv- ers as they live in their homes and communities. Area Agen- cies on Aging provide a range of services to help older adults live safe, healthy and indepen- dent lives. Multnomah County’s Department of County Human Services Aging, Disability and Veterans Services Division is an Area Agency on Agency. "At USAging, we are thrilled to recognize the outstanding achievements of this year's Ag- ing Innovations & Achievement Awards recipients. Their inno- vative programs and unwaver- ing commitment to improving the lives of older adults set a high standard for excellence in our field. These initiatives not only enhance the well-being of our aging population but also in- spire others to strive for impact- ful and lasting change in their communities," said USAging CEO Sandy Markwood. “It's always a great feeling whenever we get at least a thank you. It's like, yes, it's a win,” said Irma Jimenez, Aging, Disabil- ities & Veteran Services (AD- VSD) Division Director. “I'm really happy to show the contin- ued work that Oregon is doing, to really meet the needs of our most vulnerable individuals. And I'm really proud of my team.” Created by the Multnomah County Aging, Disability & Veterans Services Division, the Homeless Mobile Intake Team mobile relies on a diverse group of caseworkers and other staff — some who speak mul- tiple languages and some who have lived experience. The team is the result of a partner- ship between the Joint Office of Homeless Services and the Department of County Human Services and is funded by the Metro Supportive Housing Ser- vices Measure. They build relationships with people, conducting assess- ments, identifying benefits such as food and medical support, and also providing short-term intensive housing case manage- ment. To facilitate outreach, the team has a scheduled rotation to different shelters across the county, the Multnomah County Behavioral Health Center and has a presence at cooling and warming centers when activat- ed. Referrals are also sent from community partners. The 2024 USAging Aging Innovations & Achievement Awards honored traditional and new strategies in a range of cat- egories, including advocacy; agency operations; caregiving; community planning and liv- able communities; diversity, equity and inclusion; economic security; elder abuse preven- tion; health–social care inte- gration; healthy aging; home and community-based services; housing and homelessness; kin- ship and grandfamily support; nutrition; technology; social engagement; transportation and mobility; and workforce devel- opment and volunteerism. Continued from Front parks. The organization supports the role of parks in making cit- ies more sustainable, equitable, and vibrant. Based in Wash- ington, DC, the Alliance works with organizations involved in the design, development, opera- tion, programming, funding, and stewardship of parks across the US and globally. The Alliance’s Board of Directors includes lead- ers from these sectors. Adena Long serves as the Di- rector of Portland Parks & Recre- ation, where she leads one of the nation’s most comprehensive and diverse park systems. Appointed in February 2019, she oversees 154 developed parks, 8,000 acres of natural areas, four million trees, 160 miles of trails, 12 communi- ty and art centers, 11 indoor and outdoor pools, six golf courses, 60 community gardens, a motor race- way, the world’s smallest park, and much more. Under her lead- ership, the bureau employs near- ly 3,000 staff in peak season and operates with an annual budget of $550 million. Director Long has been instru- mental in advancing recreation, environmental stewardship, youth workforce development, and community engagement. Her tenure is marked by a commit- ment to inclusivity, equity, and accessibility, exemplified by the successful passage and imple- mentation of the Parks Local Op- tion Levy in 2020, which secured essential funding and is moving Portland Parks & Recreation to- ward a sustainable future. Her career in public service be- gan in New York City in 1997 as a seasonal Urban Park Ranger. She quickly rose through the ranks to become the first woman of color and youngest individual to serve as Parks Borough Commissioner, later holding roles as Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Com- missioner for Urban Park Service and Public Programs.
