Addiction recovery advocacy group wants Oregon to declare addiction a public health crisis, proposes emergency 12-step plan

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, October 11, 2023

LA GRANDE — An addiction recovery advocacy group wants to see addiction declared a public health crisis in Oregon.

This is the first step proposed by Oregon Recovers as part of the organization’s emergency 12-step plan to end the state’s addiction crisis.

Oregon has the second highest rates of substance-use disorder in the country, but ranks 50th in access to treatment, according to Oregon Recovers Executive Director Mike Marshall.

“It’s about getting the government to address the addiction crisis,” he said.

The organization recently wrapped its annual advocacy campaign “Walk for Recovery” — a series of six walks across the state aimed to raise money, build community and promote pride in recovery.

“Today is really about getting people in recovery, their friends and family out in the sunshine,” Marshall said of the Walk for Recovery events.

The first Eastern Oregon Walk for Recovery was held last year in Pendleton, but Marshall said the organizers in Pendleton pushed to have the walk be a regional event. So, this year the walk was brought to La Grande on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Marshall said he would like to see a rotation throughout Eastern Oregon — perhaps moving the walk to Ontario next year before cycling back to Pendleton.

Oregon Recovers raised around $82,000 for recovery across the six walks, according to Marshall. The other five walks were in Bend, Portland, the Rogue Valley, Klamath Falls and Lane County.

Local policymakers also came out to support the Eastern Oregon Walk for Recovery in La Grande, including Union County Commissioners Paul Anderes and Donna Beverage. Both commissioners told the community they are here to help and provide support — especially when it comes to bringing issues or policy to the Oregon Legislature.

“We’re going to be fighting for you,” Beverage told the crowd.

Anderes explained that during his tenure with the school district he saw the firsthand effects of addiction and generational addiction. He wants to see Oregon get to a place where anyone seeking assistance with recovery can get help right away. Beverage added that she knows wanting help does not happen on a schedule.

“When it’s time, it’s time,” she said.

One of the goals of Oregon Recovers’ 12-step plan is to eliminate the wait list for detox, residential treatment and recovery housing within six months. Two of the 12 steps aim to address this goal.

Oregon Recovers wants to mobilize large, temporary field hospitals to provide emergency detox and respite centers. These field hospitals would provide medically supervised withdrawal management and stabilization post overdose, as well as case management to help people secure access to residential treatment or recovery housing.

The organization aims to secure immediate access to care by expanding infrastructure. Oregon Recovers would like to see the state provide three-year capital and operational grants to existing providers to increase the number of youth residential treatment beds, detox beds, respite beds, residential treatment beds and certified recovery housing beds.

The other goals are to reduce fatal drug overdoses and alcohol-related deaths by 50% within one year.

The 12 steps of the Oregon Recovers emergency plan to end Oregon’s addiction crisis: 

1. Execute a coordinated response to the addiction crisis
2. Mobilize emergency detox and respite centers
3. Create immediate access to care
4. Promote recovery
5. Amend, don’t end, Measure 110
6. Prioritize prevent first
7. Proactively protect the public
8. Improve quality of care
9. Build and strength workforce
10. Increase utilization of medication-assisted treatment
11. Distribute overdose reversal medication
12. Increase cannabis and alcohol prices

Learn more at https://oregonrecovers.org/events/12step-plan/.