Oregon, Multnomah County, and Portland declare coordinated fentanyl emergencies

(The Center Square) – Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler each declared a 90-day state of emergency in hopes of combatting the public safety and health problems caused by the fentanyl presence in Portland’s Central City.

“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly and addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Governor Kotek said. “The Chair, the Mayor, and I recognize the need to act with urgency and unity across our public health and community safety systems to make a dent in this crisis. We are all in this together. The next 90 days will yield unprecedented collaboration and focused resources targeting fentanyl and provide a roadmap for next steps.”

The three separate emergency orders direct the City, State, and County to work together on a unified response.

They will establish a Command Center in the central city where state, county, and city employees will work together to develop strategies and response efforts.

The Command Center will refocus existing resources and share and report data on how fentanyl impacts downtown Portland. It will also “use data to identify and respond to acute needs and gaps in service, identify any specific resources necessary to address gaps and establish a system to coordinate that can be sustained beyond the 90-day startup period,” according to a release.

”If you or a loved one is struggling with a fentanyl addiction, we hear you, we see you, and we are taking this crisis seriously,” Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said. “We are acting with shared leadership to take urgent action today to respond to the very human toll fentanyl takes in our community, including overdoses, fatalities, and day-to-day suffering, and the fear so many families are experiencing as a result.”

The state plans to use resources from the following agencies to work on this issue: the Oregon Department of Human Services, the Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon State Police.

Multnomah County plans to use resources from its Health Department, County Human Services, Community Justice, County Assets, Joint Office of Homeless Services, and Emergency Management, among other departments.

“Through coordinated outreach, the County will work to prevent exposure and use of fentanyl; reduce harm among people using substances; and increase access to outreach, treatment, recovery, and housing services,” the release said.

The Health Department plans to establish two public education campaigns during the 90-day emergency, using transit, billboards, digital media, streaming audio, and more.

“These highly visible messages will promote prevention among youth and the effectiveness of recovery in transforming lives, and reduce stigma for treatment,” the release said.

The County plans to work with contractors to conduct street outreach to distribute Narcan, train partners on Narcan use, and provide overdose data reports. It will also “leverage services” from the downtown Behavioral Health Resource Center, according to the release.

“The center—strategically located in the Central City— will offer immediate access to day services and improve connection to care,” the release said.

Portland plans to offer “public safety, addiction and public health services, crisis response, and other resources and services to those impacted by the fentanyl crisis,” the release said.

The city wants to use a combination of disciplines, including peer outreach and behavioral and public health services to help move fentanyl addicts into treatment and to offer stabilization services. It also wants the Portland Police Bureau and Oregon State Police to work together to crack down on drug dealers.

“I am pleased to have Governor Kotek and Chair Vega Pederson join the City of Portland’s ongoing efforts to address the deadly fentanyl crisis impacting our community,” Portland Mayor Wheeler said. “Today, we move forward with urgency to address these challenges together under the authority of emergency declarations. This is exactly the type of coordinated action needed to make a direct impact and a lasting difference,”

The Command Center will not be open to the public.

The action comes as Oregon’s fentanyl problem persists, as The Center Square previously reported.

In one weekend alone in May 2023, Portland, Oregon, had eight drug overdose deaths, six of which were most likely fentanyl-related, according to The Associated Press. Plus, fentanyl overdose deaths more than doubled in Oregon, from 226 in 2020 to 508 in 2021, the report said.

The worsening fentanyl problem also comes as Oregon liberalized its drug laws. In 2020, the state passed Measure 110 via referendum, decriminalizing possession of small amounts of various hard drugs, including heroin, meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. Overdose deaths have increased since the law took effect, as has homelessness, according to Stateline. Plus, the state has seen a drop in convention and hotel bookings in response to the law, according to the report.

For Americans ages 18 to 49, fentanyl is now the leading cause of death, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sometimes, drug dealers lace other drugs with fentanyl, even putting those who do not plan to use the drug at risk.

“It’s crazy out there,” Rick Treleaven, the chief executive officer at BestCare Treatment Services, told Oregon Public Broadcasting in May 2023. “This is a very dangerous time to be a drug addict in Oregon.”

Oregon’s emergency measures do not go as far as neighboring California which has called in the National Guard to help police, prosecutors and social workers.