HB 2513 Advances hope, recovery and keeping our communities safe through strengthening Measure 110.
Salem, OR – March 28, 2023 This evening at 5:00 p.m. members of the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee will hold a public hearing on HB 2513, the Hope and Recovery Bill – the result of months of work to provide essential improvements to the way the state is implementing Measure 110.
HB 2513 improves the state oversight and accountability over Measure 110 funds while keeping faith with the Oregon voters who called for a public health approach to addiction services over criminalization with passage of the bill in 2020. Measure 110 was fully implemented last August with the full distribution of M110 grant funds to more than 160 providers in every part of the state. More than 60,000 Oregonians have received Measure 100 funded services and that number is increasing every day.
A wide variety of stakeholders were involved in creating HB 2513, including addiction recovery services providers, advocates, law enforcement, the judicial branch, the Oregon Health Authority and others from across the state. The group was led by Rep. Rob Nosse, chair of the committee hearing the bill tonight.
“As legislators we have a responsibility to respond to what voters have asked of us and make this work. I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues to convene the Measure 110 work group. More than 80 of us met each week to identify policy solutions that will ultimately strengthen Measure 110, connect more people to care and on a path to recovery,” said Nosse.
Advocates for clients and providers receiving Measure 110 services are in full support of HB 2513.
“We appreciate all the perspectives that came to the table over the past several months and we believe that HB 2513 will improve the way the state is implementing the lifesaving Measure 110 funds while supporting Oregon voters who want real solutions and help for themselves, their families and their communities struggling with addiction instead of harmful arrests and criminalization,” said Tera Hurst, Executive Director of the Health Justice Recovery Alliance.
“More than 60,000 Oregonians have received services through M110 and that number is growing,” said Tim Murphy, workgroup member, CEO of Bridgeway Recovery Services, and former National educator and trainer for SAMHSA. “HB 2513, the Hope and Recovery bill, doubles down on our state’s commitment to treat substance use as a health issue, recognizing that doing so is the most effective, humane, and will have the greatest impact on our communities.”
“Our Measure 110-funded programs are just getting off the ground, and yet the positive impacts on our communities are already being felt.,” said Meli Rose of Iron Tribe Network, an organization that provides wellness and recovery programs with the goal of keeping families together or supporting the reunification of families. “Measure 110 funding is enabling us to provide recovery housing and peer support for individuals and families in four counties. The housing we provide is critical for individuals in the process of recovering from addiction or substance abuse. Measure 110 has brought hope to Oregon families and is creating a system where people can get the help they need without losing their jobs, their children, or their dreams for the future.”
“With Measure 110 funds we’re able to add over 200 new housing beds in several counties, as well as hire additional staff to continue our mission in the community,” said Monta Knudson, Executive Director of Bridges to Change. “These additional beds allow our team to work with more people to get them into treatment and access harm reduction — which is what we know works when it comes to saving lives and helping people build a foundation for their recovery.”
What HB 2513 Does
- Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the Oregon Health Authority and the volunteers of the Oversight and Accountability Committee to improve the grant process and reduce confusion.
- Improves the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability in the Oregon Health Authority’s administration of Measure 110 by improving the timelines for program audits, right-sizing funding for M110 implementation, and ensuring that public reports are timely, relevant and accessible.
- Consolidates Oregon’s substance use hotlines to help reduce confusion and unnecessary administrative overhead.
- Improves the long-term effectiveness of the Oregon Accountability Council’s grantmaking through better grant-making processes, and preservation of expertise through staggered terms.
- Ensures that people suffering from both mental health and addiction will be able to get the care they need in the most accessible way.
- Clarifies certain language within the law, centering recovery around how it is defined federally by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, which defines recovery as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life and strive to reach their full potential.”
How to view the hearing
The HB 2513 hearing will be held tonight, Tuesday, March 28 from 5-8pm in the House Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care. Addiction recovery providers and Measure 110 advocates are expected to turn out in force, testifying both in-person and virtually. Members of the media may livestream the hearing at this link, beginning at 5pm.