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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2017)
Enterprise, Oregon SPRING SPORTS KICK OFF LANDSLIDE BRIEFLY CLOSES HIGHWAY 3 PAGE 10A PAGE 2A Wallowa.com Issue No. 49 March 22, 2017 EXAMINING MEDICAL CARE IN WALLOWA COUNTY LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WOULD DECLINE IF ACA REPEALED By Kathleen Ellyn BY THE NUMBERS Wallowa County Chieftain T here are options in Wallowa County for those in need of mental health services, but those options would dwindle if the Affordable Care Act is repealed by Congress. Should ACA be repealed, more than 400 individuals in Wallowa County who are enrolled in mental health services could lose access to treatment and care, said Chantay Jett, executive director for the Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness. Although there are several residential treatment programs in the county, the majority of Wallowa County individuals dealing with mental illness are not in outpatient treatment. Many deal with anxiety, depres- sion and substance abuse and remain in the community. While the Affordable Care Act improved access to care Bob Joondeph for many suffering from mental health issues and addictions, health care options for outpatient treatment was espe- cially improved. Prior to the ACA, individuals with mental health issues could be denied insurance coverage for a variety of reasons, including pre-existing conditions. Children, diagnosed at a young age, could be dropped from their plan at any time if their insurer ruled they had a pre-ex- isting condition. And for adults dealing with mental health issues, fi nding employment can be diffi cult or impossible, so many were unable to obtain reliable private insurance through their employer. Wraparound care After the ACA came into effect, these men, women and children not only had guaranteed coverage for medi- cation and therapy but also for rehabilitative services. 400 = Individuals using mental health or addiction treatment in Wallowa County Most are not in residential facilities but Wallowa County has three facilities available. WALLOWA RIVER HOUSE • an 11-bed residential treatment facility owned and operated by Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness JOSEPH HOUSE • a fi ve-bed residential treatment home owned and operated by Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness PIONEER GUEST HOME • a 16-bed residential treatment facility owned and operated by a private entity. These wraparound services, along with the “braiding” of funding to provide comprehensive care, is possibly the most important benefi t to mental health in the ACA, said Kevin Campbell, CEO of Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. (GOBHI). This continuum of care includes school-based coun- seling, mobile crisis services, supported employment, community treatment, mental health prevention and pro- motion as well as outpatient treatment for children, fami- lies and adults, including case management and peer deliv- ered services, substance use disorder treatments, gambling treatments, and on-site primary care. See HEALTH, Page A9 $1 Folk school opens in Joseph By Tim Trainor Wallowa County Chieftain School is about to be in session in Jo- seph, and not just for children. Prairie Mountain Folk School, the brainchild of Jennings Hotel owner Greg Hennes, plans to start its fi rst set of classes during the week of March 24. Those courses include how to build a staked bench, exploring natural dyes, blacksmithing, carving a wooden spoon, weaving and how to make your own herbal vinegars. It’s a slate that Hennes hopes will intro- duce the folk school concept to the commu- nity, and will allow the nonprofi t to evolve into more offerings and a bigger workspace in the future. Some classes — like carving a wooden spoon — will be taught by locals. Hennes and his friend Tom Bonamici, who is a University of Oregon design instructor, will lead that fi ve-hour, one-day class. Joseph resident Lyle Witherrite will lead the blacksmithing class, where stu- dents will learn to forge a hook. June Col- ony of Wallowa will teach the lesson on natural dyes. See SCHOOL, Page A9 Events apply for motel tax By Kathleen Ellen Wallowa County Chieftain The March meeting of Enterprise City Council saw eight events apply for motel tax money. The city donates up to $2,000 to ap- plicants who meet the requirements and make a personal presentation to city coun- cil on the appointed day. Good bookkeep- ing and a good “pitch” are required. Ryan Oberhelman represented the Wal- lowa Valley Community Ice Rink in a re- quest for a $2,000 contribution toward a $460,500 pavilion in Enterprise City Park. The steel structure would cover a 100x200 foot ice rink in the winter and serve as a covered sporting and community event structure during the other months of the year. Oregon Parks and Recreation Depart- ment offers awards for such projects, but requires 20 percent of funding come from other sources. The ice rink committee wants to sub- mit for a state grant and show the city’s donation of $2,000 as part of their match. See EVENTS, Page A7 USDA Wildlife Services removes poison traps Agency says it’s working to avoid future wolf harm By Eric Mortenson and Tim Trainor Wallowa County Chieftain The director for USDA Wildlife Services in Oregon said the agency has removed all M-44 cyanide poison traps from Wallowa County, following the unintended poisoning of a wolf in February. Director Dave Williams said Wildlife Services has reviewed what contributed to the fatal ac- cident and shared that informa- tion with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manag- es wolves in the state. The two agencies are in ongoing discus- sions about how to prevent an- other wolf death, Williams said. “We don’t feel good about that,” he said. Williams said Wildlife Ser- vices has removed M-44s from areas identifi ed by ODFW as places wolves are present, in- cluding all of Wallowa County. ODFW offi cials confi rmed that took place. “We appreciate that Wild- life Services has voluntari- ly removed M-44s,” ODFW Wildlife Division Administrator Doug Cottam said in a prepared statement. “We also recognize we want to increase our communication between our agencies,” Cottam continued. See WOLVES, Page A7 Poison capsule M-44 Cyanide Traps M-44-style traps, also known as Canid pest ejectors, or CPEs, were first developed in the U.S. in the 1930s as a way to autonomously control pest species. Lure head Bait/lure material Surface grade Trigger lock ring Trigger Piston When the animal pulls on the baited lure head, the trigger releases the piston. Under pressure of a mechanical spring, the piston strikes the poison capsule, ejecting a lethal dose of sodium cyanide into the animal’s mouth. Sources: www.predatordefense.org; www.smithandgeorg.com.au; www.aphis.usda.gov Ejector body Spring Ground spike Alan Kenaga/ EO Media Group
