Oregon’s Democrat lead legislature wants to avoid a Special Session on Measure 110 by creating a bipartisan Measure 110 review committee. Legislative leaders are putting themselves in charge of the large-scale decriminalization of some drug usage, its oversight and solutions to Oregon's drug and addiction crisis.

The Joint Committee’s aim for the 2024 session is to seek urgent public health and public safety solutions and provide oversight, says Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego). But the bipartisan committee is in name only according to Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville). "On the issue of Measure 110, the Legislature made a special committee controlled by them via a majority of members on the committee (it is not bipartisan when they have a 3-vote majority on a committee). This committee will have hearings to basically hear from special interest groups bent on keeping drugs legal in Oregon so nonprofits can reap millions in solving a problem in which only 20% of drug users even want."

Oregon voter approval of Ballot Measure 110 led to a first-in-the-nation law coupling decriminalization of drug possession with new services to expand drug treatment availability. Controversial from the start, Measure 110 attracted more scrutiny amid a delay in funding services and decriminalization took effect contributing to the fentanyl trafficking explosion. Critics are planning to seek reforms in 2024 by legislation or possible ballot measure. ORS 430.392, required the Secretary of State to audit the use of funds from Drug Treatment and Recovery Services Fund by grantees in new Behavioral Health Resource Networks (BHRNs). The Audits Division released an audit report titled Funding and Delivery of Measure 110 Substance Use Disorder Services Shows Progress, but Significant Risks Remain.

From the program’s inception through June 2023, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports collecting $284 million in Measure 110 revenues, including $275 million in cannabis tax revenues. The agency expended $265 million of Measure 110 revenues in that period, leaving an estimated carryover balance of $19 million at the end of the 2021-23 biennium. The audit reports Oregon has handed out an estimated $261 million in grants for drug treatment and recovery services under Measure 110 — a fraction of the amount brought in. The agency expects to award another $150 million to BHRN providers through June 2025.

Perhaps the most important ongoing detail for OHA to monitor is administrative costs reported by BHRN providers, which varies from an average of 7% in administrative costs through the first year of the grant period, ranging to more than 20%. OHA administrative costs through June 2023 totaled $15.3 million, or 5.4% of Measure 110 revenues. They paid for OHA staff to manage the program, contractors used for the program, data reporting, and funding for the OAC. In the 2021-23 biennium OHA used $6.1 million of General Fund dollars outside Measure 110 revenues to cover the portion of administrative costs beyond a 4% statutory cap on administrative spending from drug treatment fund revenues. In the 2023 legislative session, the Legislature added more responsibilities for OHA and eliminated this cap.

The Oregon Health Authority issued a written response in agreement with the audit findings. (Located at the end of the audit report.) The audit made six recommendations to OHA and the Oversight and Accountability Council (OAC) to improve the program.

1. Develop a strategic plan with specific M110 outcome metrics and timelines and present it in the 2024 legislative session. Consider working with outside researchers for outcome evaluation if needed.
2. Work with providers to better track and report: a. Specifics on staffing, service expansion, and capital projects; b. Youth services and virtual services; and c. The availability of culturally and linguistically specific services.
3. Work with providers to improve the consistency and reliability of service expenditures and client data.
4. To improve the application and review process moving forward: Work with communities and providers to identify the most critical service gaps by county and barriers to increasing services.
5. To improve the application and review process moving forward: Make the application clear and direct and improve review process transparency and consistency.
6. To improve the application and review process moving forward: Require providers to clearly detail what they plan to do with M110 funds and their experience, capability, and plans for providing services to clients from linguistically diverse or culturally specific backgrounds.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Since 2021, Oregon continues to rank high nationally in rates of substance use disorders and low in access to treatment. Fentanyl use has exploded increasing the urgency to expand effective treatment services. The number of fentanyl pills seized in Oregon and Idaho’s high-intensity drug trafficking areas rose from 690 in 2018 to 3,020,802 in 2022. Can legislated OAC oversight really solve the out-of-control trafficking, addictions and excessive costs to taxpayers?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-12-27 11:33:18

Last Update: 2023-12-27 02:06:36