Director's Message

Faith-Based Initiatives

To successfully help those in need, the department partners everyday with a wide variety of organizations, local groups, and efforts - including local faith organizations.

Collaborating even more closely with local faith communities is something that the department is piloting currently in Southern Oregon, thanks to legislative direction last session. We are currently working in Coos and Curry counties on a pilot project where we are increasing our communication, access to services, and looking for more ways to collaborate and build partnerships with the faith-based organizations in this area.

This pilot has included working together for the clients we serve and on community-wide projects such as food drives for the hungry, prescription drug assistance, holiday gift giving, community baby showers and other youth-oriented activities.

What we are finding in this pilot project is that many of our staff are already working with local faith leaders and congregation members as they work with specific clients and families.

Our combined efforts can make more of a difference for those that we serve, than if we were working alone. Lawmakers are looking at the prospect of expanding this pilot project statewide, and DHS testified this week on positive experiences we have had thus far with this effort.

From hopeless to hopeful

There is a family of seven in Southern Oregon who might not be back together today -- were it not for the Faith-Based Organizations there.

The parents in this particular family were struggling with methamphetamine issues - the father had gone to jail because of it, the mother was in residential drug treatment, and the children in foster care. While incarcerated, the family lost everything they had financially, because of no income.

Once the father was released from jail, the parents were facing felony charges, fines, and child support. No one would rent to them because of bad credit and foreclosure on their home. Because of rules we must follow, DHS was requiring among other things that the parents have stable housing for their children, if they were to be returned to their care. The situation seemed hopeless, although the couple was determined to get their children back.

With the family's permission, a local Faith-Based Organization stepped in and partnered with DHS. One of the church members was able to find a small home that the family could live in if they were willing to help fix it up as part of the rent. Another church member helped coordinate getting beds, clothing, household items, food and other support. The local Faith-Based Organization helped provide parenting classes, marriage classes, and family support.

DHS continued to help provide emergency assistance, drug treatment, and medical care through the state's programs and partners. Slowly the children were transitioned back into the home, as the family became more stable and the drug issues were being addressed.

This particular example saved the state a great deal of money in both services provided and dollars saved by no longer needing to provide foster care payments for multiple children.

Even more important, this family is whole again, even though they still face day-to-day struggles. The local Faith-Based Organization there continues to provide such things as Thanksgiving food for the family and holiday gifts because of their continued low-income status.

Through this collaboration, this family recently expressed that they now have hope for the future - and a support structure in place to help them deal with what may come.

The new face of Medicaid

Founded in 1965, Medicaid was considered originally as a safety net for poor mothers and their children. Medicaid today has vastly changed, and the new face of those being served is a fast-growing population.

Low-income families still make up the bulk of those receiving Medicaid, but the fastest growing population receiving it across the nation is seniors and people with disabilities. Nationally, two-thirds of Medicaid funds are spent on seniors and people with disabilities, largely for long-term care costs.

A troubling new trend also in the U.S. shows waves of low-wage workers applying for Medicaid because they don't get health insurance from their employers.

In Oregon, the overall number served through Medicaid has skyrocketed in the last 20 years. In 1983, approximately 115,000 persons were receiving Medicaid in Oregon. By 2003, 471,000 persons were being served, for a 306 percent increase.

In the next biennium, Medicaid takes the largest percentage of the department's proposed budget by far - approximately 65.6% of federal funds, and 69.8% of general funds goes to support the Medicaid program.

What this means for us in the short term is while young workers and their families will continue to be a focus, we are already watching our costs increase in caring for the growing numbers of elderly and people with disabilities needing services.

Predictions in the next decade show that Oregon is on its way to being one of the top five states per capita for its share of the seniors and people with disabilities population. What this means is time is on no one's side, as we continue to struggle with how to serve this growing population.

Food for thought

"Deal with the faults of others as gently as with your own."

-- Chinese proverb

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.

If you have a disability and need this message to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us, or call (503) 947-5107. You can also fax your request to (503) 373-7690, or call (503) 947-5080 for TTY service. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.