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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (April 25, 2012)
News/Bids/Classifieds Report: VA Failing to Provide Timely Mental Health Care By Kevin Freking The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investiga- tors reported Monday that nearly half of the veterans who seek mental health care for the first time waited about 50 days before receiving a full evaluation, a much longer lag-time than cited by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA has been saying that 95 percent of new patients seeking mental health treatment get a full evaluation within the department’s goal of 14 days. But an inspector general’s report said that the department’s tracking is flawed and that the VA was overstating its suc- cess when it comes to how quickly veterans get care. The department has greatly beefed up staffing in recent years, but the report also confirmed that many of the VA’s doctors and other medical officials don’t believe they have the manpower necessary to handle the ever-growing veteran caseload. “This report confirms what we have long been hearing, that our veterans are waiting far too long to get the mental health care they so desperately need,” said Sen. Patty Murray, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “It is deeply disturbing and demands action from the VA.” The report comes just days after the adminis- tration announced it was increasing its staff of mental health workers by roughly 1,900. The department has been adding staff at a brisk pace REQUEST FOR BIDS METRO PARKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Supplying Steel Drums RFB 12-2101 The Parks and Environmental Services Department of Metro, a metropolitan service district organized under the laws of the State of Oregon and the Metro Charter, locat- ed at 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-2736, is requesting sealed bids for supplying new or recondi- tioned 55-gallon steel drums. Bids are due no later than 2:00 p.m., May 1, 2012, in Metro’s business offices at 600 NE Grand Avenue, Port- land, OR 97232-2736, Attention: Karen Slusarenko, RFB 12-2101. First Tier Subcontractor and Good Faith Effort forms are due from all bidders within two (2) hours of the bid due time or the bid will be considered non-respon- sive. The contract contemplated consists of furnishing an esti- mated 6,000 open top 55-gallon steel drums and 1,700 tight-head 55-gallon steel drums, to be used for bulking and lab packing hazardous materials received, processed for disposal, and recycled through two per- manent facilities and miscellaneous satellite activities. All bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes which clearly identify the item(s) as stated in the RFB. Bidding documents, (including plans and specifications depicting the work) may be viewed on Metro’s website at http://www.oregonmetro.gov under “Doing Business With”, then “Requests for Bids and Proposal”. All bidders submitting a bid for public improvements over $50,000 certify that they will pay and comply with the minimum prevailing wage requirements of ORS 279C.800-279C.870 and if applicable 40 U.S.C.276a. Metro may accept or reject any or all bids, in whole or in part, or waive irregularities not affecting substantial rights if such action is deemed in the public interest. Metro extends equal opportunity to all persons and specifically encourages minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses to access and participate in this and all Metro projects, programs and services. Metro Code provisions 2.04.100 and 200 require all Bid- ders to follow and document a specific good faith outreach effort to State-certified Minority, Emerging and Women-owned Businesses. Certification of good faith compliance and a declaration of any actual utilization pursuant to both programs are required at the time of Bid Opening. Metro and its contractors will not discriminate against any person(s), employee or applicant for employment based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical handicap, political affil- iation or martial status. Metro fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more infor- mation, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, see www.oregonmetro.gov. 4-25-12 Page 14 The Portland Skanner April 25, 2012 REQUEST FOR BIDS METRO PARKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Electric Utility Carts and Vehicles RFB 12-2098 The Parks and Environmental Services Department of Metro, a metropolitan service district organized under the laws of the State of Oregon and the Metro Charter, locat- ed at 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-2736, is requesting bids for Electric Utility Carts and Vehicles purchases for the Metro and Metro facilities. Bids are due no later than 2:00 p.m., May 3, 2012, in Metro’s business offices at 600 NE Grand Avenue, Port- land, OR 97232-2736, Attention: Karen Slusarenko, RFB 12-2098. First Tier Subcontractor and Good Faith Effort forms are due from all bidders within two (2) hours of the bid due time or the bid will be considered non-respon- sive. The contract contemplated consists of the purchase of electric carts and vehicles. Metro intends to purchase a minimum of four (4) vehicles with the option to purchase additional vehicles at a later date. in recent years. Staffing is up 45 percent since 2005, but the increase in patients has gone up by almost that amount. VA officials said the announcement had been months in the making. In response to the report, the department released a statement saying that it was committed to ensuring that veterans had access to quality mental health care and that it would review the IG’s findings. “We have made strong progress, but we need to do more,” the statement read. Doctors and other mental health staff told investiga- tors that they’re particularly having trouble hiring and ‘It is deeply disturbing and demands action from the VA’ --Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA retaining psychiatrists. Investigators visited four med- ical centers. At a medical center in Salisbury, N.C., investigators found that patients had to wait an average of 86 days to see a psychiatrist. Staff told investigators that the hospital was trying to replace three psychiatrists who had moved to the private sector within the past year. The department plans to add about 1,600 clinicians, including psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and professional counselors, and about 300 support staff to an existing mental health staff of rough- ly 20,590. Still, the inspector general is recommending that the department undertake a comprehensive staffing analysis to determine just how much vacancies are hurt- ing its ability to meet its standards for timely mental health care. The department says that analysis has been underway since last year, leading to the decision to increase its workforce. Under the VA’s protocol, patients seeking mental health care are supposed to get an initial evaluation within 24 hours in case care is urgently needed. Barring an emergency, the department seeks to provide a full evaluation within 14 days. However, the VA measures how long it took to conduct the evaluation, not how long See VA on page 15 CONSTRUCTION KICKOFF EVENT PCC Rock Creek Bond Projects All bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes which clearly identify the item(s) as stated in the RFB. Bidding documents, (including plans and specifications depicting the work) may be viewed on Metro’s website at http://www.oregonmetro.gov under “Doing Business With”, then “Requests for Bids and Proposal”. All bidders submitting a bid for public improvements over $50,000 certify that they will pay and comply with the minimum prevailing wage requirements of ORS 279C.800-279C.870 and if applicable 40 U.S.C.276a. Metro may accept or reject any or all bids, in whole or in part, or waive irregularities not affecting substantial rights if such action is deemed in the public interest. Metro extends equal opportunity to all persons and specifically encourages minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses to access and participate in this and all Metro projects, programs and services. Metro Code provisions 2.04.100 and 200 require all Bid- ders to follow and document a specific good faith outreach effort to State-certified Minority, Emerging and Women-owned Businesses. Certification of good faith compliance and a declaration of any actual utilization pursuant to both programs are required at the time of Bid Opening. Metro and its contractors will not discriminate against any person(s), employee or applicant for employment based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical handicap, political affil- iation or martial status. Metro fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more infor- mation, or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, see www.oregonmetro.gov. 4-25-12 Date: May 8th, 2012 / Time: 8:30am – 10:30am Location: PCC Rock Creek Campus, Building 9 Event Center Map: http://www.pcc.edu/about/locations/map/#rc The session – led by Campus President David Rule – will take place in the Building 9 Event Center and will focus on bond-funded improvement projects for the Rock Creek Campus. This will also be an M/W/ESB workshop to discuss specific opportuni- ties. The agenda will include a bond program overview and Rock Creek projects overview. CM/GC partners: Fortis Construction, Northwest Infrastructure, and Faison Construction will discuss project timelines and opportunities for participation as well as projects slated for summer construction starts. For more information contact: John Persen at jpersen@pcc.edu OR Chelle Miller at chellem@fortisconstruct.com 4-25-12
