Hello!
As your County Commissioner, I have been hard at work to be a part of the solution to make our community a better, healthier, and more equitable place for all. I have compiled a running, but still incomplete, list of some of the accomplishements I have achieved while serving you as a Multnomah County Commissioner representing District 1. If you have any questions about this list or have ideas about what to add to it, please feel free to email me at: district1@multco.us
In Good Health,
Sharon
Short Form List of Accomplishments
- Co-Chair Association of Oregon Counties Health and Human Services Committee, devising statewide policy advancing public health and behavioral health interests of counties across the state
- Multnomah County Mental Health System Analysis
- Created new leadership position for someone with lived experience to direct the Behavioral Health office of consumer engagement
- Recommended dedicated behavioral health respite, shelter, bridge housing, which is being manifested in the Behavioral Health Resource Center
- Recommended extensive workforce support, including culturally specific work force and peers, which is being funded at the state level and continues to be a legislative priority for Multnomah County
- Created steering committee (Blueprint for Better Behavioral Health) that broke down recommendations, identified priority recommendations, identified organizations/stakeholders responsible for implementation
- Opioid Litigation - Sponsored resolution establishing novel basis for landmark lawsuit against prescription opioid suppliers and distributors
- Led efforts to bring County into Behavioral Health Emergency Coordination Network (BHECN)
- Sequential Intercept Mapping and coordination of Behavioral Health Crisis Response
- Partnership with Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps to improve coordination between the City of Portland emergency response and dispatch, and Multnomah County crisis response.
- Sponsored resolutions supporting Universal Healthcare at state and federal levels; was appointed Association of Oregon Counties’ representative to the State’s Universal Healthcare Task Force under SB 772, which just completed its term and submitted plan for Universal Healthcare to state legislature last week
- Secured funding to save the County’s Harm Reduction Program
- Partnered with Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan to get Built for Zero adopted by the Joint Office of Homeless Services
- Sponsored analysis identifying the most frequent users of crisis systems - jails, homeless shelters and ERs - and proposed a pilot, adopted in FY 23 budget, to get this most vulnerable and challenging population the housing and services they need (Frequent User Systems Engagement, “FUSE”)
- Appointed to the National Association of Counties Familiar Faces Initiative (FFI) Leadership Network. A collaboration of experts and leaders from communities across the country focusing on individuals who are the most frequent users of our healthcare, housing and justice systems.
- Alternative Shelter RFP - Led joint Portland-Multnomah County effort to dedicate $3 million for community-based alternative shelter that allowed for the micro-village projects I supported - WeShine, Beacon Village - to be funded, along with other community-driven projects. This work continues.
- Secured funding to support Alternative Shelter Learning Collaborative
- Co-led 2020 and 2022 Youth Mental Health Forums in partnership with youth, mental health service providers, school districts, and other elected offices.
- Municipal Broadband Feasibility Study and ongoing work to improve access to reliable and affordable internet
- Secured funding for Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub evaluation and study in collaboration with Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. Engaged Regional Disaster Preparedness organization and state emergency management in this work, along with environmental leaders and community. Report led to Senator Dembrow advancing further work around CEI Hub at the state level.
- Convened a forum on houselessness with Imago Dei Church to mobilize faith communities in regional houseleness response
- Co-hosted a series of Joint Town Halls on Houseleness with Commissioner Ryan and Representative Reynolds
- Sponsored round-table convening of state behavioral health experts with US Senator Ron Wyden, in furtherance of federal legislation for national suicide prevention line, mobile crisis response, and development of federal mental health bill.
- Successfully advocated for establishment of neighborhood DA programs for Old Town and East County
- Sponsored Exotic Animal Travel Ban
- Sponsored Woodsmoke Curtailment Ordinance
- Secured funding to expand culturally responsive healthcare services for LGBTQIA+ community members
- Secured funding to improve accountability, transparency, and equity in County contracting services
- Expanded capacity for community-based organizations to aid people in acquiring federal benefits to which they are entitled.
- Secured funding to add capacity of the JOHS to break down silos, improve efficiencies, and build greater collaboration across emerging and existing alternative shelter operations.
- Partnering with the City of Portland’s Tribal Relations Program and City Arts Program, Regional Arts and Culture Council, and indigenous led art and storytelling agency INDIGENA, on a public arts and education project
- Active participant in Portland City Mayor Ted Wheeler’s recurring Old Town Problem Solvers Meetings and connect stakeholders to County services.
- Active participant in the newly established Expediting Tables convened by Portland City Mayor Ted Wheeler to improve conditions of Central City.
- Supported the establishment of Multnomah Village Safe Rest Village and continue to engage with Commissioner Ryan’s team and constituents re: operations
- Secured funding to support community-based home-sharing program
- Secured funding for Reimagine Oregon
- Secured funding for a peer-run employment program
- Secured funding for public guardian training and monitoring support
- Secured funding to improve the quality and capacity of County-supported treatment services, and better aligning residential and outpatient treatment for adults and youth.
- Secured funding for the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program.
- Secured funding to support the Turn Yourself In Program
- Actively advocated for state to raise the minimum legal sales age for tobacco to 21
- Secured funding for reproductive health access
- Secured funding for supports and expansion of services for aging adults living with or affected by HIV and AIDS