LOCAL Wallowa.com Wednesday, May 26, 2021 A3 County joins suit against ‘big pharma’ Orthopedic Relinquishes surgeon on mental health authority to OHA staff at WMH starting in June By BILL BRADSHAW Wallowa County Chieftain ENTERPRISE — Wal- lowa County will join 10 other Oregon counties and the city of Portland in a law- suit against major pharma- ceutical companies over practices that lead to opioid addiction, the county com- missioners agreed Wednes- day, May 19. The commissioners agreed to the move upon advice of county counsel Paige Sully. “As I previously dis- cussed with each of you independently, 10 Oregon counties and the city of Port- land have hired counsel and engaged in a lawsuit against a number of major pharma- ceutical companies in the United States,” Sully said. “It’s a lawsuit that’s been tried in a number of diff er- ent states having to do with inappropriate marketing and selling of pharmaceuti- cals leading to folks becom- ing addicted to opioids and the resulting negative conse- quences that have occurred. It’s my understanding that the 10 litigants in the state of Oregon are in discussions with the defendants, who are anxious to settle, but only if the nonlitigant counties in the state of Oregon join in the settlement.” She said the defendants don’t want to settle with one group and have additional groups bring suits at a later date. “We’ve been contacted by Brad Anderson, a county counsel for Washington County, about participating in those settlement discus- sions,” she told the commis- sioners. “What they’re ask- ing us to do is … if we are a party to the settlement and we receive a benefi t from the settlement — some funds — we will waive and release the defendants from any fur- ther litigation from Wallowa County.” Sully said any benefi t received from the suit would come with strings. The funds won’t be avail- able “for whatever purpose,” she said, but they would be “designed to be used to miti- gate, resolve and address the negative consequences of opioid addiction.” Such uses could include Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain Chantay Jett, executive director of the Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness, expresses her support to the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners for their move to relinquish county authority for mental health and allow the center to contract directly with the Oregon Health Authority. addiction treatment, men- tal health resources, law enforcement, district attor- ney and perhaps probation and parole, though Sully said she hasn’t yet seen any settlement documents out- lining the required uses. She also said the counties can avoid the trap funneling money through Salem often can be. “We’re getting some- thing for nothing here,” she said. “It will allow the coun- ties to structure the settle- ment such that the funds will come to actual counties and not to the state of Oregon for the state of Oregon to deter- mine how to release it to the counties.” Commissioner Todd Nash said he sees this as an opportunity for the county to gain in joining a suit against pharmaceutical companies and benefi t from it, where it might not be able to do so independently. “I saw no downside what- soever and Wallowa Coun- ty’s ability to take on ‘big pharma’ on something like this is not really credible or legitimate to consider,” he said. Commissioner John Hill- ock agreed. “I just it’s appropriate to stand in solidarity with these other counties and do the right thing,” he said. Mental health authority ends In another matter, the commissioners voted to WHAT’S HAPPENING FOUNDER’S DAY BARBE- CUE SATURDAY The Founder’s Day barbecue takes place Saturday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cre- ating Memories Camp at Wal- lowa Lake. The day is an opportunity to tour camp property, hike to the waterfall and enjoy a free lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Door prizes, games, face painting, live music and karaoke are all part of the day, according to a release. Park at the Marina parking lot. Transportation to the property will be provided. WALLOWA COUNTY FARM- ERS MARKET 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays from May 29 to Oct. 9. Main Street in Joseph near Stein’s Distillery. Crafts, produce and home- made goods, and some life music will be on tap for visitors. www.wallowacountyfamers- market.com, call 541-426-0795, or search for “Wallowa County Farmers’ Market” on Facebook. ONGOING A.A. online meetings ore- gonaadistrict29.org. Building Healthy Families 541-426-9411. Community Connection 541-426-3840. Enterprise Public Library 541-426-3906. Fishtrap 541-426-3623. Hurricane Creek Grange 541-605-8233. Josephy Center for Arts and Culture 541-432-0505. Wallowa Public Library 541-886-4265. Wallowology 541-263-1663. relinquish the county’s men- tal health authority to the Oregon Health Authority. The move was the culmina- tion of previous discussions of the issue. Chantay Jett, executive director for the Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness, which serves as the county’s mental health department, was present at last week’s meeting to support the com- missioners’ move. “We’ve had this discus- sion about county govern- ment being involved in men- tal health, an area they’re not very expert in — would that be a good word to use?” she said. “... Saying we’re not experts is a very polite way of saying we know abso- lutely nothing,” Nash joked. “We need the service occasionally,” Commis- sioner Susan Roberts agreed. After discussing this with the county for a cou- ple years, Jett said, “We’ve come to the conclusion that it’s probably time to let us go out on our own and con- tract directly with the Ore- gon Health Authority. So if we are to do that, that means the county will relinquish their local mental health authority because it sort of becomes a moot point at that time. … (relinquish- ing) would sort of force us — in a good way — to con- tract directly with the Ore- gon Health Authority.” She expressed her appre- ciation for past county sup- IN BRIEF Sen. Merkley to hold remote town hall PORTLAND — Ore- gon’s U.S. Sen. Jeff Merk- ley will hold a remote and telephone town hall for constituents in Wallowa County on Tuesday, June 1. The town hall will take place at 11 a.m. He will update constitu- port and said the move would benefi t both the cen- ter and the county. “It’s been an administra- tive burden on you to be the ‘pass-through’ for a lot of diff erent funding streams,” she said. “Mental health funding is very complicated. We have 15 diff erent pro- grams all under one roof and about 20 diff erent funding streams for those programs. … So it relieves a burden for your offi ce, as well.” Hillock said the board’s move is part of a larger issue. “For those of you who aren’t aware,” he told the audience, “what brings this to a head is the state’s requirement for the coun- ties to have the liability for the services that they pro- vide. All of the counties have voiced this opinion to the state that we don’t want to have the liability. In some cases in the past, we didn’t have liability, but they’ve brought it into all the con- tracts now. It’s going to probably aff ect us in other areas … it’s something that’s going to have to be worked on with the Depart- ment of Justice when they come down with these con- tracts. Some of the agencies are willing to scratch it, but then the DOJ puts it back in.” Nash agreed, saying, “There were 13 other coun- ties that opted out and weren’t willing to sign the intergovernmental agreements.” Jett noted that what Nash and Hillock were referring to was intergovernmental agreements with the state over who would handle con- tracts for developmental dis- abilities. Wallowa County rejected such an agreement April 7. “So 13 counties, led by Lane County, rejected those contracts, so about a month ago,” she said. Nash noted that the rejec- tion didn’t come without consequences. “Lane County actu- ally got burned on that and they’re in litigation right now,” he said. He also suggested wait- ing to make a decision on relinquishing county author- ity until the public could comment. But Jett said it was important to get it done soon so the center can obtain a new contract. As a result, the commissioners voted unanimously to relinquish authority. ents on his work in Wash- ington, D.C., and answer their questions and invite their suggestions about how to tackle the chal- lenges facing Oregon and America. On a computer, smart- phone or tablet, go to https://tinyurl.com/sen- merkleytownhall to join the Zoom meeting. On the phone, call 669- 254-5252. Meeting ID: 161 588 7595# and Partici- pant ID: #. The passcode is 74934212#. — Chiefttain staff to be conducted outside of Wallowa County,” she said. ENTERPRISE — An Both Wallowa and orthopedic surgery option Union counties have seen is coming back to Wal- an increase in demand lowa County. for orthopedic care, Pace Wallowa Memo- said. The press release rial Hospital is bringing stated the hire of Smith back an orthopedic sur- “feels incredibly import- geon on Tuesday, June 1, ant as the demand for when Dr. Bradley Smith regional orthopedic ser- begins his fi rst day on the vices is on the rise.” Smith has practiced job after being recently hired, according to a press orthopedic surgery for release from the hospital. more than two decades, “I am very excited to and has worked in north- join the excellent team at ern California and Alaska, Wallowa Memorial Hos- according to the release. His orthope- pital,” Smith said dic experience in the release. includes treating “The physical/ injuries and ‘wear occupational ther- and tear’ to liga- apists, radiology ments, bones and department, surgi- tendons, and he cal team and hos- has experience pital staff have just Smith performing shoul- what it takes to der, hip and knee get injured folks back to their activities all repair procedures. He without having to travel has treated individuals far away for orthopedic of all ages, from toddlers to seniors. The release care.” It has been about a states that his philoso- decade since WMH had phy on treatment is “to an orthopedic surgeon on do what needs to be done, staff . Wallowa Memorial but to do no more and to Hospital Communications keep things as simple as Director Brooke Pace said possible.” “Dr. Smith has an Dr. Bradford Stephens, who retired in 2011, was incredible amount of the last one at the hospital. experience in a rural set- “Previous volumes ting,” Pace said. “Pair that have not supported a full- with the quality of work time orthopedic surgeon, he has done and his desire and we were able to part- to work part-time, he was ner with Grande Ronde the perfect fi t.” Smith comes from Hospital to provide visit- ing specialist services for a long line of care pro- the last 10 years,” Pace viders, as his grandfa- said of how the hospital ther was a physician and handled cases during the his father was an ortho- pedic surgeon. Accord- last decade. She said a visiting ing to the press release, he orthopedist came to the started assisting his father county between two and in surgeries as young as four times a month. Some age 12. He attended med- procedures also happened ical school and received orthopedic training from away from the county. “Even with the visiting Loma Linda University services, some orthope- Medical Center east of dic surgeries were needed Los Angeles. By RONALD BOND Wallowa County Chieftain This week’s featured book Zero Fail The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service by Carol Lennig 107 E. Main St. Enterprise OR 541-426-3351 bookloftoregon.com • manager@bookloft.org OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 541 569 2285 The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. eomediagroup.com ARE INVITED YOU TO OUR Births A daughter, Kynlee Rose Matthews, was born May 11 at Wallowa Memorial Hospital to Elizabeth Rose Johnston and Ethan Milo Robert Matthews of Wallowa. Grandparents are Melissa Zollman, Greg Johnston, Stephanie Davis and James Matthews. 301 W. Main, Enterprise • 541.426.3177 FOUNDER’S DAY BBQ WHEN Saturday May 29th 2021 10:00am - 4:00pm WHERE Creating Memories Camp @ Wallowa Lake WHAT Tour our camp property, hike to the waterfall, and enjoy a FREE lunch (11am-1pm). There will be door prizes, games, face painting, live music and Karaoke! PLEASE park at the Marina parking lot, we will provide shuttle service to the camp property! Due to CIVID-19 guidlines, proper physical distancing will be maintained.