>> ROBERT OAKES: WHEN I WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE UP HERE, I HAD THE HONOR OF WALKING INTO THE
BARBARA ROBERTS HUMAN SERVICES BUILDING TODAY AS WE ALL DO.
I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE, AND ONE OF MY ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE STUDENT
NEWSPAPER, IN THE 1980'S, WAS INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, BARBARA
ROBERTS.
SHE WAS VERY KIND, YOU KNOW THIS AS OREGONIANS, SHE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN HOW WE SERVE THE
MOST NEEDY PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY.
SHE TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE FOLKS THAT SHE WAS COMMITTED TO WORKING FOR.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, MORE THAN 30 YEARS LATER, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE BACK IN OREGON AND WORK
FOR THE PEOPLE OF YOUR GREAT STATE.
SO, I WANT TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE OUR DIRECTOR, FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT, HE IS CELEBRATING HIS
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY AS DIRECTOR AT DHS.
(APPLAUSE).
WELCOME THE DIRECTOR AND HE WILL BE TAKING QUESTIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS REMARKS.
THANK YOU.
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: THANK YOU, ROBERT, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS.
>> (CHUCKLES).
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: NO, ACTUALLY TIME FLIES QUICKLY.
IT'S AMAZING.
IT FEELS LIKE I WAS HERE JUST YESTERDAY AND YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS THIS WORK CAN BE TAXING
AND DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING, IT CAN ALSO BE SATISFYING.
I KNOW THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY I'M HERE.
THANK YOU, ROBERT, FOR COMING BACK TO OREGON.
WE DON'T GENERALLY TAKE TOO MANY PEOPLE FROM CALIFORNIA, BUT YOU WERE AN EXCEPTION.
AGAIN, ROBERT BRINGS A LOT OF GREAT BACKGROUND WORKING FOR THE LEGISLATURE, WORKING FOR STATE
AGENCIES, AND I DO WANT TO THANK CHRISTY SINATRA, SITTING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, WHO FILLED
THE GAP FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS BEFORE WE COULD HIRE THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD OUR COMMUNICATIONS
OFFICE.
IN ADDITION TO ROBERT, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER, ACTUALLY A NUMBER OF HIRES, BUT
I WANT TO ALLOW OUR PROGRAM DIRECTORS TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT HIRES THEY HAVE MADE.
I'LL JUST MENTION ONE, AND THAT IS OUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, AMY CHURCH, WHO'S SITTING IN
THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
SHE CAME TO US FROM OREGON JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT WHERE SHE WAS THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR FOCUSING
ON RECRUITING PEOPLE FROM CITIZEN REVIEW BOARDS AS MEMBERS.
IN SEPTEMBER, AS ROBERT SAID, I'VE BEEN HERE NOW AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, FOR A YEAR.
AND I JUST THOUGHT PERHAPS I CAN SHARE WITH YOU MY REFLECTIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THE
PAST 12 MONTHS.
MUCH HAS CHANGED BETWEEN THE TIME I LEFT THIS AGENCY IN 2008 AND WHEN I CAME BACK IN 2017.
CLEARLY DHS HAS SPLIT IN TWO ORGANIZATIONS, DHS AND OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY.
I REALIZED QUICKLY THAT THERE WAS MUCH TO LEARN, RELATIONSHIPS TO ESTABLISH AND CONNECTIONS
TO BUILD.
IN DHS, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, WE SERVE OREGONIANS, OFTENTIMES MOST VULNERABLE, AND WE TRY TO
DO THAT THROUGH LENSES OF SAFETY, INDEPENDENCE, CHOICE, DIGNITY AND EMPOWERMENT.
MY INITIAL ASSESSMENT WAS THE AGENCY HAD THE RIGHT MISSION, VISION AND VALUES, AND THAT
THE STAFF ARE DEDICATED.
THEY COME HERE TO DO THE WORK.
THEY COME HERE TO SERVE.
THEY HAVE IT IN THEIR HEART AND IN THEIR MINDS, AND EVEN THOUGH THE WORK IS DIFFICULT, THEY
HANG IN THERE WITH IT AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK.
AT THE SAME TIME, I REALIZE THAT WHAT YOU ARE BEING ASKED BY THE LEGISLATURE, BY OUR
STAKEHOLDERS, BY ALL OF YOU AND ALSO BY OUR STAFF, TO START PUTTING OUT THE FIRES, AND
START BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS SO THAT WE CAN BRING A SENSE OF NORMALCY BACK TO THE
ORGANIZATION, SO THAT WE COULD START DOING SOME PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
AND DOING THAT INVOLVES CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE WHO DESIGN THE WORK, TO THOSE WHO DO THE WORK.
THERE'S ALWAYS HISTORICALLY BEEN THIS DIVISION BETWEEN CENTRAL OFFICE AND THE FIELD.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE WITH DHS, OREGON YOUTH AUTHORITY OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, THAT
DIVISION EXISTS.
TO THE POINT THAT WE CAN BRING THE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER AND HELP THEM WORK TOGETHER TO DESIGN
AND DELIVER SERVICES IN AN INTEGRATED WAY, WE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER EQUIPPED TO GET TO
WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO.
WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER COLLABORATION AMONG THE FIVE PROGRAMS BUT ALSO WITH OUR PROVIDERS,
WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WITH OUR ADVOCATES.
FROM THE CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE WHOM WE SERVE, THEY DON'T REALLY
SEE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.
THEY SEE DHS AS ONE AGENCY.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE, A SERVICE PROVIDED TO THEM WITH THE LEAST NUMBER OF CONTACTS
AND IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY.
WE CAN DO ALL THAT, AND WE MUST DO ALL THAT, BUT WE CAN ONLY DO THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH
ALL OF YOU.
WITH OUR PROVIDER NETWORK, WITH OUR ADVOCATES, WITH OUR PROVIDERS.
ALSO, I THINK THERE'S AN EXPECTATION FROM PEOPLE THAT WE OPERATE MORE EFFECTIVELY AND
EFFICIENTLY AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO, TO DO THAT, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS NEEDED TO HAPPEN.
WE NEEDED TO START LISTENING, LEARNING, ASSESSING, PLANNING, AND BEGINNING TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE
THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE ISSUES THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT IN TIME.
TO DO THAT, WE HAD 25 PLUS LISTENING SESSIONS IN CHILD WELFARE FOLLOWING THE CHILD WELFARE
AUDIT, FOSTER CARE AUDIT REPORT.
WE EMBRACED THAT AUDIT FINDING, AND WE BEGAN WORKING ON LISTENING NOT ONLY TO OUR STAFF
BUT ALSO TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROVIDERS AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
ACROSS DHS WE HAVE STARTED AN ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT THAT ALLOWED US TO HEAR FROM OVER
3500 DHS STAFF ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY DO BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT CAN BETTER SERVE THOSE
PEOPLE WHO NEED OUR SERVICES.
THE FINDINGS FROM THAT STATE ASSESSMENT IS BEING FINALIZED, AND IT WILL BE TRANSLATED
INTO AN ACTION PLAN WHICH YOU WILL SEE SOON.
WE HAVE BEEN CONTINUING TO BUILD OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
AND YOU'LL HERE ABOUT THAT, SOME OF THE MAJOR KEY HIRES WHO HAVE BEEN DONE.
IT'S ULTIMATELY PEOPLE WHO DO THE WORK, AND WE NEED THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE BEST POSITION
TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT NEED OUR SERVICES.
AS WE BEGIN TO REBUILD THIS AGENCY, WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT CANNOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT HAS TO HAPPEN IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, OTHER
STATE AGENCIES, AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT MISTAKES HAPPEN.
THEY ABSOLUTELY WILL HAPPEN.
AND WE LEARN FROM THEM.
AND TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, WE'LL AVOID THEM.
BUT ALSO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO REACT HASTILY IN EVERY FAILURE THAT OCCURS.
THIS JOB IS HARD.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MY JOB.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL BURDEN THAT OUR CASEWORKERS HAVE, WHETHER IN CHILD WELFARE
OR IN AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, IN IDD, ETC, CARRY WHENEVER THEY SEE A CHILD
THAT IS SUFFERING, WHEN THEY SEE ABUSE AND NEGLECT AROUND THEIR AGING POPULATION OR PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES, THEY EXPERIENCE THESE THINGS.
THEY TAKE THESE THINGS IN, THEY GRIEVE, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND
DO THE SAME WORK.
OUR JOB IS TO SUPPORT THEM, OUR JOB IS TO HELP THEM.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT JOBS IN THE WORLD.
I'M HONORED TO WORK FOR THOSE WHO DO THAT WORK.
I'M THE ONE WHO WORKS FOR THEM.
THAT'S NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
IN A SERVANT LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION, THAT'S THE WAY LEADERSHIP OPERATES.
PART OF MY JOB IS ALSO TO CREATE A VISION AND A DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE OF DHS.
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT CAN BEST ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THOSE THAT WE SERVE.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK THAT SYSTEM SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
A PERSONCENTERED DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES SERVICES IN A SEAMLESS AND INTEGRATED MANNER
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM OF LIFE AND IN A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER PUBLIC, PRIVATE
AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
MANY HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PURSUING THE SAME GOAL, AND WE
CAN ACTUALLY LEARN FROM THEM BY COLLABORATING WITH THEM.
BY LOOKING AT BEST PRACTICES, BY SEEING WHAT WORKS, AND WHAT INITIATIVES ARE ACTUALLY RELATING
TO BEST PRACTICES AND ULTIMATELY TO OUTCOMES.
RATHER THAN PUTTING INDIVIDUALS IN INDIVIDUAL SERVICE TRACKS; RATHER THAN SAYING THIS IS
THIS PROGRAM AND THAT PROGRAM, THE NEW WAY OF SERVING INDIVIDUALS IS ACTUALLY LOOKING
AT THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE AND SURROUNDING THEM WITH SERVICES.
IT'S CALLED THE HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN.
IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED IN HEALTHCARE, AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY HUMAN SERVICES CANNOT
DO THE SAME THING.
THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE KEY TENETS OF OUR TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE.
TO BE THAT ORGANIZATION IN DHS THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF, WE NEED TO BUILD A SOLID
FOUNDATION SO THAT WE CAN BUILD ON A FOUNDATION OF STABILITY SO THAT WHEN CHANGES HAPPEN,
WE DO NOT SKIM.
WE ARE FOCUSING ON A FEW SPECIFIC THINGS.
ONE IS BETTER APPROACH TO DATA AND ANALYTICS.
WE ARE BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR INTEGRATING DATA, RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS IN A WAY TO HELP
US BECOME A DATAINFORMED AGENCY AND ALLOW EARLY SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION TO HELP INDIVIDUALS
AND FAMILIES SUCCEED, AND IN FACT THRIVE.
DR.
PAUL BELLATTY WILL BE HERE AT THE NEXT STAKEHOLDERS MEETING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME PRETTY EXCITING
INITIATIVES THAT'S HAPPENING IN RESEARCH THAT IS GAINING NATIONAL ATTENTION.
WE'RE BEING PRAISED NATIONALLY FOR WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN RESEARCH.
WE HAVE INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL TO BEGIN EARLY INVENTION.
AND AVERT THE TRAJECTORY OF THOSE WE DON'T WANT TO END UP IN OUR SYSTEMS AND HELP THOSE
WE WANT TO TRANSITION FROM OUR SYSTEMS.
WE ARE CONSTRUCTING A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO HELP US IMPROVE OUR PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES AND
CREATE A LINE OF SIGHT.
THERE ARE THREE KEY QUESTIONS THAT ANY PROGRAM IN OUR AGENCY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS.
WHAT IS OUR WORK, HOW DOES THAT WORK GET DONE, AND HOW DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING
THIS WORK WELL.
WE ARE DOING THIS FOUNDATION BUILDING AND THIS RERECALIBRATION OF OUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
IN ALL OF OUR FIVE PROGRAMS AND CENTRAL AND SHARED SERVICES WILL SHORTLY FOLLOW.
SERVICE EQUITY IS A MAJOR PIECE OF OUR INITIATIVE.
WITHIN ASSESSMENT, BOTH IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND ALSO SERVICE EQUITY.
WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE MAJOR GAPS WITHIN THIS ORGANIZATION AS FAR AS EQUITABLE
PRACTICES.
AND WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AS IT RELATES TO SERVICE EQUITY.
ON THAT PATH, WE HAVE CHARGED OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY AND MULTICULTURAL SERVICES TO HELP
EACH PROGRAM AREA DEVELOP AN EQUITY PLAN AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EQUITY MANAGER FOR
EACH PROGRAM TO MOVE THE EQUITY WORK FORWARD.
WE ALSO KNOW WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER FOR OUR TRIBES.
THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN, AND I CAN TELL YOU WE ARE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE TODAY THAN
WE WERE A YEAR AGO AS IT RELATES TO OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE NINE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES
IN OREGON.
CULTURE CHANGE IS A MAJOR PIECE THAT POPS UP EVERY TIME THERE'S AN ASSESSMENT OF DHS,
WHETHER IT WAS A PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE REPORT, OR THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOSTER CARE AUDIT
REPORT, OR ANY OTHER ASSESSMENT OF THE AGENCY THAT HAS BEEN DONE, CULTURE IS ALWAYS A BIG
PIECE OF THAT EQUATION - SOMETHING WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AND CHANGE.
I SHARED THE FRAMEWORK OF THAT CULTURE WITH YOU LAST YEAR, BUT THAT CULTURE IS NOW BEING
IMPLEMENTED.
IN FACT, YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BEGIN TO EMERGE.
WE'LL START TRAINING OUR STAFF AND MANAGERS IN THAT CULTURE.
IT'S A CULTURE THAT BEGINS WITH SAFETY AND WELL-BEING.
IT REQUIRES A CARING AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
IT REQUIRES HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT
ALL LEVELS, BEGINNING WITH ME AND CASCADING THROUGHOUT THIS ORGANIZATION.
IT REQUIRES HEALTHY AND ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND ULTIMATELY IT WILL LEAD TO BUILDING A
COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN GET US OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE FIND OURSELVES
IN.
OUR SUCCESS DEPEND ON HOW WELL WE WORK WITH OTHER SYSTEMS.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S NOT US THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS THRIVE AND SUCCEED.
IT IS REALLY THEM THAT DOES THAT, BUT WITH THE HELP OF MANY SYSTEMS.
AND HOW WELL WE CONNECT WITH THOSE OTHER SYSTEMS ALSO DETERMINES HOW SUCCESSFUL WE CAN BE.
ALTHOUGH THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION MAY SEEM FAR AWAY, THE WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED.
LAST MONTH WE SUBMITTED OUR AGENCY REQUEST BUDGET.
LEAH HORNER, OUR LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, WILL COME UP HERE SHORTLY AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT
SOME OF OUR INVESTMENTS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE IN THIS ORGANIZATION, BUT LET ME JUST BRIEFLY
SHARE WITH YOU WHAT OUR AGENCY REQUEST BUDGET FOCUSES ON.
IT FOCUSES ON ENOUGH RESOURCES TO DO THE WORK WE NEED TO DO.
NOT JUST US, BUT OUR PROVIDERS.
YOU ALL KNOW, BOTH IN DD SERVICES AND IN APD, WE ARE FACING SOME PRETTY CHALLENGES SITUATIONS
IN LIGHT OF A VERY THRIVING ECONOMY, WE ARE HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME HIRING, RETAINING
AND TRAINING THE BEST WORK FORCE THAT WE CAN TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
THESE ARE NOT EASY JOBS.
AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR PROVIDER NETWORK TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED
OUR SERVICES.
THERE IS A HANDOUT IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT YOU CAN PICK UP ON THE WAY OUT.
CHRISTY, RIGHT, WE HAVE THE HANDOUT, RIGHT?
YES, OKAY.
THAT BASICALLY DETAILS ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE AGENCY HAS UNDERTAKEN BASICALLY OVER
THE COURSE OF THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
SO, FEEL FREE TO PICK THAT UP ON THE WAY OUT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THESE STAKEHOLDERS MEETINGS.
THIS IS YOUR MEETING.
TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU PARTICIPATE, WE'LL CONTINUE HAVING THOSE.
ALSO, WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS THAT GO OUT FROM EACH PROGRAM AREA, BUT THIS IS A FORUM WHERE
EVERY QUARTER WHERE WE GET TO HEAR FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE AGENCY AND TO HEAR SOME OF
YOUR QUESTIONS AND IDEAS.
WITH THAT I THINK THERE IS TIME ALLOWED FOR QUESTIONS HERE.
>>ROBERT OAKES: THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.
JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE ONE QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE, ONE
ONLINE, ONE ON THE PHONE AND THEN WE CAN CATCH-UP WITH ALL THOSE LATER.
SO, TO SAVE TIME BY RUNNING, I'LL TRY TO LOUDLY REPEAT ANY QUESTIONS.
SO, DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN AUDIENCE QUESTION?
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: I WAS SO IMPRESSIVE, THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS.
>> (LAUGHTER).
>>ROBERT OAKES: OK, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ONLINE?
TELEPHONE OPERATOR, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY
AFTER THIS TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT.
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: THANK YOU, JIM.
I THINK, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS REALLY RESOURCES AND PROJECTS.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A MAJOR PROJECT, AND THAT IS THE INTEGRATED ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM; INTEGRATED
ELIGIBILITY AND MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY, THAT IS CONSUMING A LOT OF RESOURCES.
SO, YOU KNOW, I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT AS SOON AS WE BRING THIS PROJECT TO AN END WE CAN
BEGIN WORKING ON SOME OF OUR OTHER SYSTEMS.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, WE HAVE SYSTEMS THAT DATE BACK TO 70'S BUT AT THE SAME TIME
I HAVE TO SAY THESE SYSTEMS DO WORK.
THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING, MAKING PAYMENTS, THEY'RE MEETING OUR NEEDS.
WE'D MUCH RATHER SYSTEMS THAT HAVE MODERN DISPLAYS AND DON'T HAVE GREEN SCREENS, ETC.,
AND THIS PROJECT THAT THEY JUST TALKED ABOUT, IS IN FACT A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN MODERNIZING
SOME OF OUR SYSTEMS, SPECIFICALLY CONNECTING SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND AGING AND PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, SO THAT - AROUND THAT VISION OF "NO WRONG DOOR" - SO THAT, AND I KNOW THAT
ASHLEY'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
SO THAT ANYONE CAN GO TO ANY SELF-SUFFICIENCY OR APD OFFICES AND DETERMINE THEIR ELIGIBILITY.
HAVING SAID THAT, I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY ILLUSION THAT THIS WORK IS EASY.
AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THESE DATA SYSTEMS AND INVESTING IN THEM.
WE ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH BOTH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE STATE CIO'S OFFICE TO BASICALLY LOOK
AT WHAT DOES THIS MODERNIZATION LOOK LIKE.
THERE IS A CURRENT PLAN AROUND MODERNIZING OUR SYSTEMS, BUT AGAIN, THESE THINGS ARE COMPLICATED.
THESE ARE MAJOR, MAJOR SYSTEMS AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE, AS WE BEGIN TO BUILD THE NEW
SYSTEMS, AND IMPROVE AND UPDATE THESE SYSTEMS, WE DON'T INTERRUPT SERVICES.
DID WE HAVE A QUESTION ON SKYPE OR SOCIAL MEDIA?
YES, I THINK THE QUESTION - THERE WAS A QUESTION ON PRIORITIZING POPS - LEAH, DO YOU WANT TO
DEAL WITH THAT, OR..?
>> LEAH HORNER: SURE.
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: K. AND, AS FAR AS CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, I DON'T HAVE THE
NUMBERS WITH ME BUT WE REPORTED TO THE LEGISLATURE IN SEPTEMBER LEGISLATIVE DAYS WE HAVE REDUCED,
AND I THINK DON HAS BETTER MEMORY AROUND THAT, BUT WE HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT
IT TAKES TO DO BACKGROUND CHECKS.
WE ARE STILL NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT, WE WILL SEE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR,
WE STILL KNOW, WE GOT SOME POSITIONS DURING THE APRIL LEGISLATIVE DAYS WITH THE HELP OF
THOSE POSITIONS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE WAIT TIME BUT IT'S STILL NOT ACCEPTABLE.
YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THE PROVIDER WORLD, IF YOU HAVE TO WAIT EVEN FIVE DAYS, OR TEN
DAYS, TO RECEIVE YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK, PEOPLE SOMETIMES CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG.
WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
SOME OF THESE BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE COMPLICATED BECAUSE, ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE FROM OUT-OF-STATE
IS APPLYING, IF FBI HAS TO GET INVOLVED IT INCREASES THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO DO THOSE
CHECKS.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE MAJORITY OF THE BACKGROUND CHECKS DO NOT FIT THAT CRITERIA.
AND WHAT'S THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS, DON?
TWELVE, FOURTEEN DAYS?
>> DON ERICKSON: THE SIMPLEST BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE TAKING...
THEY'RE SORT OF THE NEXT GROUP THAT ARE TAKING 5-7 DAYS AND...
AS FARIBORZ SAID, WE'RE SORT OF DEPENDENT ON INFORMATION FROM OUT-OF-STATE, THOSE ARE,
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DOWN TO, WITH MOST OF THEM, TO AROUND TWENTY DAYS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME THAT ARE VERY COMPLEX SO WE'RE AT SOMEBODY ELSE'S MERCY
WAITING FOR DOCUMENTATION.
BUT AT LEAST EIGHTY PERCENT OF BACKGROUND CHECKS FALL WITHIN THOSE FIRST.
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: THANK YOU, DON.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE ROOM AND DID NOT HEAR THE RESPONSE, MANY OF THESE BACKGROUND
CHECKS ARE DONE WITHIN 48 HOURS, THE SIMPLEST ONES.
THE NEXT TIER IS TAKING 5-7 DAYS.
AND THE NEXT TIER IS TAKING TWENTY DAYS OR MORE.
AND I KNOW THAT THE REPORTS THAT WE GET AROUND SOME OF THESE BACKGROUND CHECKS FALL IN THE
SECOND AND THIRD CATEGORIES.
SO AGAIN, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO REDUCE THOSE WAIT TIMES.
THANK YOU.
>>ROBERT OAKES: THANK YOU, AND THEN IF ANYBODY IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, JUST A REMINDER THAT WE
ARE ON TWITTER TODAY WITH THE #ORDHSFORUM.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR AT DHS, LEAH HORNER.
SHE AND HER TEAM ARE PRIMARY LIAISONS TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THEY GUIDE OUR PARTICIPATION
IN STATE AND FEDERAL EFFORTS TO ADVANCE OUR MISSION FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL OREGONIANS.
I SPENT MANY YEARS IN THE CALIFORNIA CAPITAL AND KNOW THE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR DOES A LOT
OF WALKING, A LOT OF TALKING AND ALSO TALKING ON THE PHONE.
AND I HAVE SEEN HER DO ALL THREE AT ONCE EXCELLENTLY.
>> (LAUGHTER).
>> LEAH HORNER: I'M NOT TALL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AS INDICATED, I AM LEAH HORNER, I'M THE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR HERE.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT
KIND OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS, OUR LEGISLATIVE CONCEPT PROCESS AND OUR POLICY OPTION PACKAGES.
SO, FIRST I'LL KIND OF BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS IS REPETITIVE
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW A TON ABOUT OUR PROCESS.
OUR LEGISLATIVE CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 2019 SESSION STARTED AS SOON AS THE 2017 SESSION
ENDED, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE CONSTANT CYCLE THAT WE AS STATE AGENCIES RUN INTO.
SO, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK TWO YEARS AHEAD OF TIME TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE
FORECASTING OUR NEEDS TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
SO, HAVING SAID THAT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON LC DEVELOPMENT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, AND
WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE VETTING PROCESS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE SIX CONCEPTS AS AN AGENCY RIGHT NOW. AND WHILE WE HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THE OFFICIAL
FINAL GREEN LIGHT ON ALL OF THEM YET, I WILL LET YOU KNOW THAT NONE OF THEM ARE HIGHLY
CONTROVERSIAL.
BUT AS SOON AS THEY ARE READY FOR PRIME TIME, WE'LL BE SHARING THEM.
AS ANOTHER COMPONENT OF KIND OF THIS PROCESS TEEING UP FOR THE NEXT QUOTE/UNQUOTE LONG
SESSION, WE GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
AND THAT STARTS, AGAIN, MONTHS AND MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR
ACTUAL NEEDS ARE FOR THE AGENCY REQUEST BUDGET.
THE AGENCY REQUEST BUDGET IS REALLY OUR BASELINE BUDGET THAT DEFINES OUR CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL
MOVING INTO THE NEXT BIENNIUM.
WE'RE FORECASTING WHAT WE'LL NEED FOR THE 1921 BIENNIUM.
AND SO, AS FARIBORZ INDICATED, WE SUBMITTED OUR ARB AS PART OF OUR STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
ON SEPTEMBER 1.
IT'S ABOUT A 1200PAGE DOCUMENT, IF ANYBODY'S IN FOR SOME LIGHT READING.
IT'S ON OUR BUDGET WEBSITE, WHICH YOU CAN FIND THROUGH THE INFORMATION PAGES ON THE
DHS WEBSITE.
BUT I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING PIECES OF OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT IS THE POLICY
ACTION PACKAGES.
AND THAT REALLY IS THE WAY THAT THE AGENCY CAN REQUEST WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE FUNDED THAT
IS ABOVE WHAT WE HAVE NOW OR DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND SO, I WILL ADMIT THAT I COME FROM AN AGENCY WHO HAD ONE POLICY OPTION PACKAGE AT 10 MILLION
DOLLARS IN GENERAL FUND AND THAT WAS CONTROVERSIAL.
SO, COMING TO AN AGENCY THAT HAS 18 PAGES OF POLICY OPTION PACKAGES TOTALING 663 MILLION
IN GENERAL FUNDS HAS BEEN QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.
BUT REALLY, IT'S BEEN A FASCINATING PROCESS TO GO THROUGH HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS BECAUSE WHAT WE AS AN AGENCY WERE ABLE TO DO, THROUGH THAT 663 MILLION DOLLAR REQUEST,
WAS TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE THAT WE NEEDED TO FUNCTION, AS FARIBORZ INDICATED,
AS A STABLE AGENCY.
I WOULD ALMOST CONSIDER AS OUR ALL IN REQUEST.
IT REALLY IS WHAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT AND NEED ACROSS THE BOARD.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE PRIORITIZE OUR POPS INTO FIVE DIFFERENT BUCKETS.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKLOAD MODEL.
I THINK AS MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY FOLLOWED US ALONG THE YEARS AND DURING SESSION, WE
OFTENTIMES GET FUNDED AT MUCH LESS THAN A HUNDRED PERCENT WORKLOAD.
AND THAT IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE FOR US.
AND WE HERE, AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE, WE HEAR A LOT OF TIMES, SUCK IT UP, YOU GUYS
ARE STATE WORKERS, YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
WE'RE PUTTING ON THE TABLE THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO DO THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT THE
LEGISLATURE IS REQUIRING US TO DO.
THAT'S KIND OF OUR BOTTOM LINE AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
I THINK IF WE WERE FUNDED AT THE HUNDRED PERCENT WORKLOAD MODEL THAT WE NEED, THAT WE COULD
HAVE SOME DIRECT IMPACT ON BETTER OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS AN AGENCY.
SO THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY GOING INTO SESSION.
AND WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A HEAVY LIFT MOVING FORWARD.
THE SECOND PIECE THAT FOLKS MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF BIENNIUM, AND
PROBABLY LONGER THAN THAT, IS OUR DOUBLE FILL ISSUE.
WE DO HAVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF DOUBLE FILLS WITHIN THIS AGENCY.
AND WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF IS ASSESSING EVERY SINGLE DOUBLE FILL THAT
WE HAVE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST A LET'S PUT AN ARBITRARY NUMBER ON THE TABLE.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND WE ARE LOOKING AT EACH OF THE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE
DOUBLE FILLED AND WE'RE TRYING TO ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE VALUE ADDED POSITIONS.
AND WE'RE FINDING THAT YES, IN FACT, THEY ARE.
SO, OUR REQUEST FOR DOUBLE FILLS IS ALSO ON THE TABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF STREAMLINE
AND DEFINE WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE.
SO, WE HAVE THAT REQUEST AS WELL.
SO, AS YOU LOOK THROUGH PRIORITIES 3, 4 AND 5 THAT WE'VE MADE, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT
STABILIZATION FROM THE STAFFING LEVELS, AS WELL AS THE PROGRAM LEVELS.
THEN THE PRIORITY NUMBER 5 IS OUR EXPANSION OF SERVICES.
SO, WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT STABILIZING METHOD THROUGHOUT EACH OF THE POPS THAT WE
HAVE DEFINED IN THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT POPS BE DIRECTED TO THE PROGRAM DIRECTORS
WHEN THEY ARE UP HERE.
THAT'S REALLY THE PROCESS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, THROUGH OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, UP TO THIS
POINT.
I WILL SAY WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS THE GOVERNOR IS STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO HAVE HER BUDGET,
WHICH IS THE GRV, GOVERNOR'S REQUEST BUDGET, BUT DECEMBER 1.
WE'RE ALL KIND OF ON PINS AND NEEDLES WAITING TO SEE HOW OUR ARB LINES UP WITH THE GRB AND
THE ACRONYMS WE CAN FIT INTO THE SPACE IN THE MEANTIME, BUT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AT
THIS POINT IN TIME WITH OUR BUDGET.
THE OTHER SIDE NOTE THAT I WILL ALSO THROW IN HERE IS THAT THE GOVERNOR'S ALSO COME UP
WITH NUMBER OF WHITE PAPERS THAT THERE ARE ALSO LINKS TO ONLINE.
AND SO THOSE ARE ALSO GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE ALIGNING WITHIN OUR BUDGET AND
OUR POLICY OPTION PACKAGE STRATEGY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AT.
AT THIS POINT, IN A NUTSHELL.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE?
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE?
AND TELEPHONE OPERATOR, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
OK, KEEPING IT EASY ON US.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE DON ERICKSON, HE'S THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER HERE
AT DHS.
HE OVERSEES OUR CENTRAL AND SHARED SERVICES, WHICH CONSTITUTE WHAT PEOPLE CALL "OPERATIONS"
OR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
>> OPERATOR: OKAY, WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FROM THE CALL LINE.
JUST ONE MOMENT, PLEASE.
. >> ROBERT OATES: PAUSE THAT.
TELEPHONE OPERATOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> OPERATOR: YES, SIR, JUST ONE MOMENT, PLEASE.
WE'RE GATHERING THE NAME.IF YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR NAME, PLEASE PRESS STAR ONE.
WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM THE LINE OF GEORGE ADAMS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> PHONE PARTICIPANT: YEAH, I'M THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE, I'M THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE OREGON
STATE DESEC BOARD IN JACKSON COUNTY.
QUESTION IS THAT WITH THE LEGISLATION AND THE MONEY THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED, I'M
REQUESTING TO DHS IF THEY COULD PUT A REQUEST FOR SOME OF THAT MONEY TO GO IN TOWARDS MEALS
ON WHEELS FOR BETTER FOOD TO BE GIVEN TO SENIORS WHEN THEY ARE BROUGHT TO THEIR HOMES.
THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER FOOD BROUGHT TO THEM.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU.
THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT FUNDING MEALS ON WHEELS AND FOOD SERVICES FOR THOSE IN NEED.
>> LEAH HORNER: I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
SORRY.
I THINK WE'LL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE
BUDGET.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT MEALS ON WHEELS IS A SPECIFIC POP THAT WE HAVE IN RIGHT NOW, BUT
WE WILL DEFINITELY NOTE THAT.
>> ROBERT OATES: I'D AT IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM JACKSON COUNTY.
I STARTED AT THE MEDFORD TRIBUNE AS A REPORTER.
I WAS INTRODUCING DON ERICKSON, HE IS OUR CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, OVERSEES FACILITIES,
CONTRACTS, AND MANY OTHER PROGRAMS.
BASICALLY, MOST OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR DHS TO DELIVER SERVICES TO OREGONIANS.
SO, DON. AND THEN HE WILL INTRODUCE THE NEXT SPEAKER.
>> DON ERICKSON: THANK YOU, ROBERT, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
ONE OF THE AREAS, AS ROBERT MENTIONED, I SUPPORT A LOT OF THE OPERATIONSRELATED FUNCTIONS OF
THE ORGANIZATION, AND IN SHARED SERVICES, AS THE NAME WOULD IMPLY, THOSE ARE OPERATION
SERVICES THAT SERVE BOTH DHS AND ALSO OHA.
ONE OF THOSE SERVICES INCLUDES, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT, IS OUR JOINT AUDIT OFFICE.
AND OUR INTERNAL AUDITING OFFICE IS REALLY CRITICAL FOR FUNCTIONING.
THEY PROVIDE SEVERAL KEY SERVICES FOR US, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS ANNUALLY IDENTIFYING
THE GREATEST AREAS OF RISK FOR BOTH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, FOR DHS AND OHA.
ANYTHING THAT MIGHT IMPEDE IN SOME WAY OUR ABILITY TO SERVE OREGONIANS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
AND THROUGH THAT, THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THOSE RISKS ARE THEN PRIORITIZED, AND THOSE
BECOME SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WE FOCUS ON WITH OUR INTERNAL AUDIT.
MANY OF US HISTORICALLY HAVE SORT OF GET A CHILL UP OUR SPINE WHEN WE THINK OF GETTING
AUDITED, BUT AUDITS IN THIS CASE IS A GOOD THING.
THEY GIVE US AN ADVANCE RECOGNITION OF AREAS THAT WE'RE VULNERABLE IN, WHERE AGAIN WE'RE
NOT POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE UP TO THE STANDARD THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO.
SO, WE LOOK AT AUDITS AS A VERY GOOD THING, A VERY HELPFUL THING IN THAT REGARD.
THE OTHER AREA, AS I JUST ALLUDED TO, IS THIS UNIT PROVIDES OUR INTERNAL AUDITS BASED LARGELY
ON THE RISK ASSESSMENT.
THEY ALSO COORDINATE EXTERNAL AUDITS.
SO, WE ARE AUDITED BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES,
EVERY YEAR.
AND THE AUDIT UNIT HELPS US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER, THAT COMMUNICATION
FLOW BACK AND FORTH IS AT A HIGH STANDARD, AND THEN ALSO WITH THE DEBRIEFING FROM FINDINGS
FROM THOSE AUDITS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE AUDIT AND WHAT WE NEED
TO DO.
ALONG THOSE LINES, ANOTHER FUNCTION OF THE AUDIT UNIT IS TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW UP ON AUDIT
FINDINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS, THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS WITHIN DHS OR OHA ARE
ACTUALLY RESPONDING TO THE AUDIT FINDINGS AND PROVIDING THE REQUESTED MITIGATION PLANS
FOR WHATEVER THAT FINDING MIGHT BE.
VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR HISTORY, I BELIEVE, OUR INTERNAL AUDITING
PROCESSES ARE GOING TO BE MANAGED ELECTRONICALLY INSTEAD OF WITH SPREADSHEETS THAT HAVE NOT
BEEN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY OF WORKING WITH THOSE FINDINGS.
SO, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM CALLED TEAMMATE THAT WE'RE ALL VERY
EXCITED TO SEE, AND THAT WILL HELP US MANAGE OUR AUDITS FROM SORT OF BEGINNING TO END.
SO, I WANTED TO FOCUS ON OUR AUDIT UNIT, IN PART BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY THRILLED TO HAVE
BROUGHT ON A NEW CHIEF AUDIT OFFICER THAT JOINED US A WEEK AGO TODAY, SARA LANDES.
SARA IS WAVING.
SO, WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE SARA WITH US.
SARA COMES TO US FROM THE CITY OF PORTLAND WHERE SHE SERVED AS DEPUTY CHIEF AUDITOR FOR
THE PAST 8 YEARS.
PRIOR TO THAT SHE WORKED FOR 12 YEARS AS A SENIOR MANAGEMENT AUDITOR BEFORE MOVING ON
TO THE DEPUTY COUNTY AUDITOR ROLE FOR MULTNOMAH COUNTY.
SO, SARA BRINGS A RICH EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HER GET TO
WORK AND GUIDE US TO ANOTHER LEVEL WITH OUR AUDITING UNIT.
TWO OTHER AREAS THAT I'LL MENTION THAT SHARE SERVICES AS WELL AS SEVERAL OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS
IN BOTH OF OUR AGENCIES HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THIS LAST YEAR, ONE OF THEM IS WE'VE
BEEN EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAIN OUR STAFF IN SUICIDE PREVENTION ON A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT LEVELS, SOME FAIRLY DEEP CLINICAL LEVELS AND SOME LEVELS OF JUST BEING ABLE
TO RECOGNIZE WHEN SOMEBODY IS INITIATING THAT CONVERSATION AND TO TRY TO HELP OUR STAFF
BE MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION AND DIRECTING FOLKS TO APPROPRIATE RESOURCES.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE OREGON SUICIDE ALLIANCE, WHICH IS A GROUP OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS
AND PRIVATE CITIZENS FROM AROUND THE STATE WHO HAVE A STRONG INTEREST IN THIS AREA AND
ARE DEDICATED TO, AGAIN, IMPROVING OUR RECOGNITION OF THIS ISSUE AND OUR ABILITY TO INTERVENE
MORE EFFECTIVELY.
FINALLY, ANOTHER AREA THAT WE ARE WORKING ON BROADLY AS PART OF ALL OF OUR SHARED SERVICES
AND REALLY OUR PROGRAM DELIVERY IN A NUMBER OF AREAS HAS TO DO WITH IMPROVING OUR AWARENESS
AND OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AROUND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY COORDINATING WITH OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR BOTH AGENCIES TO, AGAIN,
IMPROVE OUR SERVICE DELIVERY AROUND THAT AREA, AND WE'RE USING IT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NEW
FACILITIES AND WHEN WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF SERVICE DELIVERY.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY, AND NEXT WE HAVE, EXCUSE ME.
>> ROBERT OATES: JUST IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE?
JUST WANT TO BE SURE.
EACH PRESENTER WILL HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER: REIMBURSEMENT FOR DENTAL AND MEDICAL NEEDS FOR PEOPLE THAT DHS HAS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR, HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE?
>> DON ERICKSON: I AM GOING TO HAVE TO DEFER THAT QUESTION.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC THAN I CAN ACTUALLY RESPOND TO.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT CERTAINLY WOULD FALL WITHIN THE AREAS THAT WE WOULD IDENTIFY AS
AREAS OF RISK AND THAT WE WOULD WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY PERFORMING
THOSE SERVICES.
BUT I WILL KEEP THAT QUESTION IN MIND AS SOME OF OUR OTHER DIRECTORS COME TO ADDRESS THEIR
PARTS OF THE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> DON ERICKSON: OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, SORRY?
HI.
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER: THE MANAGEMENT TOOL, IS THAT AVAILABLE ON LINE FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK
AT?
YOUR NEW MANAGEMENT TOOL CALLED TEAM MATE?
>> DON ERICKSON: OH, YOU CERTAINLY CAN GOOGLE AND SEE IT.
IT'S A VERY WIDELY USED TOOL.
MATTER OF FACT, MANY OF THE OTHER STATE AGENCIES IN OREGON HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR QUITE SOME
TIME.
THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND RECOGNIZE THAT REALLY IS GOING TO
FIT OUR NEED.
YEAH, IF YOU GOOGLE IT, YOU'LL DEFINITELY GET A SUMMARY OR OVERVIEW OF IT.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANKS.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE'LL DO THE QUESTIONS AFTER THE PRESENTERS, UNLESS THERE'S ANY DIRECTLY
TO DON'S REMARKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
>> COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MEMBER: WE'LL START GETTING A REMINDER FOR QUESTIONS OR PARAPHRASE
THEM.
>> ROBERT OATES: ALL RIGHT, NEXT PERSON.
>> DON ERICKSON: NEXT I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE DEPUTY CHIEF DIRECTOR FOR OUR SELF SUFFICIENCY
PROGRAM, DAN HAUN.
>> DAN HAUN: THANKS, DON, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM.
MY BOSS, KIM FREDLUND, COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM.
YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD FROM HER THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES WE HAVE HAD THIS STAKEHOLDER MEETING.
I'M GOING TO START WITH TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS KIM AND I SET ABOUT DOING ABOUT
THREE YEARS AGO.
I WAS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT THE TIME OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND SHE WAS DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF THE SELF SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS.
WE WERE TOURING AROUND THE STATE, WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL WORK FORCE BOARDS AND LOCAL
EMPLOYMENT OFFICES AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BETTER COORDINATE SERVICES AMONGST
THOSE FOLKS TO BETTER SERVE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND SELF SUFFICIENCY FOLKS IN ALL CORNERS
OF THE STATE.
WE WERE DRIVING THROUGH COOS BAY AND SAID, YOU LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF COOS BAY
AND THE LOCATION, HOW ARE YOU EVER GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT IN AN AREA LIKE COOS BAY ECONOMICALLY?
HOW ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO TURN SOMETHING LIKE COOS BAY AROUND?
THEY ARE LOCKED IN BY THE OCEAN, NOT VERY MUCH TRAFFIC, ROAD OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OVER
TO THE I 5 CORRIDOR, AND WE REALIZE WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WE SAID MAN, IF WE EVER GET THE OPPORTUNITY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AS MANY STATE WORKERS
AS WE CAN OUT OF THE URBAN AREAS AND INTO RURAL OREGON WHERE WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON
LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
OBVIOUSLY, WE COULDN'T MOVE OUT THE STAFF AND PROVIDE FACETOFACE SERVICES IN OUR OFFICE.
WE CAN'T SAY TO SOMEONE IN PORTLAND, DRIVE TO K-FALLS SO YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CASE MANAGEMENT
APPOINTMENT.
WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO, AND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS,
IS MOVING AS MANY JOBS AS WE COULD THAT SERVE FOLKS REMOTELY TO RURAL PARTS OF OREGON.
SO, THIS LAST YEAR WE CALLED THAT OUR "RURAL JOBS INITIATIVE."
IT FITS VERY WELL WITH SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THE GOVERNOR'S PUT FORTH.
WE HAVE NOW OPENED OFFICES TO PROCESS MEDICAL ELIGIBILITY WORK IN ENTERPRISE, LA GRANDE
AND BAKER CITY.
WE HAVE RECENTLY OPENED UP PROCESSING CENTERS FOR OUR CAPI APPLICATIONS FOR SNAP WORK TO
SERVE FOLKS IN PORTLAND, ASTORIA AND KLAMATH FALLS.
WE HAVE PLANS TO OPEN UP ADDITIONAL OFFICES IN MILTON-FREEWATER, TILLAMOOK - I'M DRAWING
A BLANK ON THE LAST ONE...
AND NORTH BEND, COOS BAY.
AS WE BRING MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO RELOCATE POSITIONS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING,
RELOCATING POSITIONS.
NOT PEOPLE BUT VACANT POSITIONS INTO OFFICES THAT ALREADY EXIST INTO PLACES WE ALREADY
RENT, SO NO ADDITIONAL OVERHEAD, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE TO DATE ABOUT 90 POSITIONS OUT
OF URBAN AREAS, OUT OF THE SALEM AREA AND OUT OF THE PORTLAND AREA TO THOSE RURAL AREAS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ABLE TO LIGHT A FIRE UNDER US FROM DISTRICT TWO IN THE PORTLAND
AREA WAS THE NEED CHILD WELFARE HAD FOR CENTRALIZED HOT LINE.
THEY FELT THE NEED TO CENTRALIZE TO ORDER TO GET EXPERTISE AND SIMILAR SKILL SETS TOGETHER
AND SERVE CHILDREN ACROSS THE STATE.
WE TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OUR ELIGIBILITY WORKERS WHO COULD WORK ACROSS THE STATE AND
MOVE THOSE TO RURAL AREAS.
WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE IMPACT ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
LAST WEEK I GOT A CALL FROM BAKER CITY.
A MANAGER OUT THERE RAN INTO A WOMAN AT A LOCAL CAFE WHO WAS GOING TO CLOSE HER RESTAURANT
BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING MEDICAL ISSUES, SHE WAS IS GOING TO TRY A JOB THAT GAVE HER MEDICAL
INSURANCE.
SHE HAD NO IDEA THAT OHP WAS OUT THERE, SHE HAD NO IDEA SHE COULD APPLY FOR OHP, THAT
SHE COULD GET MEDICAL INSURANCE.
OUR MANAGER WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY, TOOK HER AN APPLICATION, SAT DOWN WITH HER, HELPED
HER FILL IT OUT, AND THAT INDIVIDUAL'S RESTAURANT IS STILL OPEN TODAY.
HER PLANS ARE TO KEEP THAT RESTAURANT OPEN.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TELL OUR COMMUNITY WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT TODAY WAS IN JULY WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE
A BIG TRANSITION - A BIG TRANSITION -FOR OUR STAFF: ELIGIBILITY.
IN THE PAST IF YOU WERE A COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT OR A STUDENT WHO WAS IN A CAREER TECHNICAL
EDUCATION PROGRAM, YOU WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR STAFF BENEFITS UNLESS YOU WERE WORKING 20
HOURS A WEEK OR WERE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL FINANCIAL WORK STUDY AND ACTUALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF FEDERAL FINANCIAL WORK STUDY.
WHAT WE KNOW FROM TALKING TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND FROM TALKING TO OUR CLIENTS, WE NEEDED
TO ADDRESS THEIR HUNGER ISSUES AS WELL.
PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THROUGH VOCATIONAL TRAINING, INDIVIDUALS TRYING TO INCREASE THEIR SKILL
SETS, SO THEY CAN MOVE UP AND INTO A CAREER PATH, NEED TO EAT AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THEIR RULES AND GO AHEAD AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE
FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EITHER IN A CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, AS DEFINED BY
PERKINS, ON A CAREER PATHWAY AS DEFINED BY THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OR WHO
WERE RECEIVING REMEDIAL ADULT BASIC EDUCATION LITERACY ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES
AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES, IF THEY MET THE FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SNAP BENEFITS, THEY ARE NOW
ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP BENEFITS.
THEY NO LONGER NEED TO MEET THAT 20HOUR WORK REQUIREMENT OR THAT FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID
REQUIREMENT.
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT POLICY.
WE THINK WE'RE HAVING A LARGE IMPACT.
IF YOU GUYS HEAR OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DENIED BENEFITS IN THE PAST,
PLEASE ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY AGAIN.
THAT RULE DID CHANGE EFFECTIVE JULY 1.
I THINK I AM DONE, SO I WILL, ARE WE TAKING QUESTIONS, ROBERT?
>> ROBERT OATES: AT THE END.
>> DAN HAUN: I GET TO INTRODUCE MARILYN JONES, DIRECTOR OF OUR CHILD WELFARE PROGRAM.
>> MARILYN JONES: GOOD AFTERNOON.
I AM MARILYN JONES, AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN, NO I'M NOT...
>> (CHUCKLES).
>> MARILYN JONES: THANK GOODNESS.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF CHILD WELFARE.
I'M JUST LOOKING AHEAD.
>> (CHUCKLES).
>> MARILYN JONES: I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A FEW ITEMS.
I KNOW WE HAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES.
WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON, AND I COULD PROBABLY STAND HERE AND CHAT WITH YOU FOR A LONG TIME
AND TELL YOU ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN CHILD WELFARE.
WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MOVING.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
BUT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE BUILDING OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HIRED A DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
HER NAME IS JANA MCLELLAN, AND SHE'S SITTING RIGHT BACK THERE.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE HER ON THE TEAM.
SHE CAME FROM THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES AND SHE RAN THE STABILIZATION
AND CRISIS UNIT.
WE ARE PLEASED THAT SHE CAME OVER TO HELP US AND TOOK A ROLE TO HELP US BETTER SERVE
OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
WE'VE ALSO HIRED FOUR NEW POSITIONS IN THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY AREA.
WE HIRED A NEW DISTRICT MANAGER.
HER NAME IS CHERYL JACKSON.
SHE WILL BE STARTING WITH US ON NOVEMBER 1.
AND THEN WE'VE HIRED THREE NEW PROGRAM MANAGERS AS WELL.
THOSE PROGRAM MANAGERS WILL BE IN ALBERTA BRANCH, GRESHAM BRANCH AND MIDTOWN.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING A NEW TEAM THAT'S COMING ONBOARD THAT REALLY WANTS TO LOOK AT
OUR VISION AND OUR MISSION AND HELP US MOVE THE DIAL TO GET BETTER OUTCOMES FOR OUR CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, 20 YEARS AGO OR 10 YEARS AGO.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY OUTSIDE THE BOX AND KEEP THINGS MOVING.
I ALSO WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOMETHING I'M PRETTY PROUD OF.
WE DEVELOPED THE OREGON EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A DIVIDE BETWEEN CENTRAL OFFICE AND THE FIELD.
AND WE CAN'T WORK TOGETHER WITH POLICY AND PRACTICE UNLESS WE PULL EACH OTHER TOGETHER
AND WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO LOOK AT HOW THOSE TWO FUNCTIONS ARE INTERPRETED BY OUR
STAFF, BY OUR CLIENTS, BY OUR CUSTOMERS, BY OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.
BY DEVELOPING THIS TEAM, IT IS FROM OUR SIX TEAM DISTRICT MANAGERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE,
AND IT'S OUR 14 CENTRAL SENIOR CENTRAL OFFICE MANAGERS, PROGRAM MANAGERS, IN CENTRAL OFFICE.
THIS GROUP MEETS TWICE A MONTH FOR TWO DAYS, AND THEY WORK ON LEADERSHIP SKILLS, POLICY
SKILLS AND PROJECTS TO SEE WHERE WE WANT TO MOVE THE DIAL.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MOVE THE DIAL UNLESS WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO FOCUS
ON, AND WHAT KIND OF CONSISTENCY WITH PRACTICE AND POLICY CAN WE DO OUTSIDE, IN EVERY AREA,
IN EVERY DISTRICT FOR EVERY FAMILY.
WE HAVE THREE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THEM.
THE THREE PROJECTS THAT THEY DECIDED TO FOCUS ON WERE OVERDUE ASSESSMENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVERDUE ASSESSMENTS.
WE HAD ALMOST 9,500.
THESE ARE ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ASIDE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE, COME TO THE
HIGH LEVEL OF OUR CASEWORKERS.
THEY WERE PUT ASIDE BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE MAYBE THE FAMILY WAS SAFE AND THAT THEY JUST
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET TO EVERY SINGLE FAMILY.
SO, THEY STARTED TO PRIORITIZE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO.
WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE FAMILIES THAT WE MEET, BE ABLE TO HELP THEM SHUT DOWN
SOME OF THOSE CASES, AND SO WE'VE CREATED A BLITZ TEAM.
IT'S CONSISTING OF 12 CONSULTANTS WHO GO OUT AND WORK WITH EACH BRANCH UNTIL THEY HAVE
GOTTEN THEIR OVERDUES DONE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ROOT CAUSES AND WORKING WITH DIFFERENT STATES ACROSS THE NATION TO
HELP US DECIDE WHAT'S NEXT, WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES, AND HOW WE MAKE THIS SUSTAINABLE.
I SEE MY CARD FOR MY MINUTE ALREADY.
I WANTED TO ALSO TELL YOU, LET ME LOOK HERE, RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT HAS BEEN A BIG FOCUS
FOR US, FOR OUR STAFF.
SINCE JULY OF 2017 TO JULY OF 2018, ALTHOUGH OUR NUMBERS ARE SMALL, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR
RECRUITMENT 60 PERCENT.
AND WE'VE INCREASED OUR RETENTION BY 120 PERCENT.
WE'RE STARTING TO CHANGE THAT PERSPECTIVE OF WANTING TO LEAVE HERE TO WANTING TO STAY
HERE AND HELP US MAKE CHANGES.
SO, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM AT THE END.
I'LL BE SITTING UP HERE.
AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE DIRECTOR OF AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ASHLEY
CARSON COTTINGHAM.
>> ASHLEY CARSON COTTINGHAM: THANKS, MARILYN.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY.
I'M ASHLEY CARSON COTTINGHAM, THE DIRECTOR FOR AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
LEAH COVERED MUCH OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE APD
STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT OUR POLICY OPTION PACKAGES, SO I'M NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT HERE TODAY.
HOWEVER, PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE RUNTHROUGH
OF THE APD POLICY OPTION PACKAGES IN OUR BUDGET REQUEST.
I'M GOING TO TURN TO TWO OF OUR SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVES RIGHT NOW.
AS YOU KNOW, SAFETY, INCLUDING ABUSE PREVENTION AND INVESTIGATION, IS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES
AT AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE HAVE MADE MANY CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR VULNERABLE OREGONIANS IN THE PAST TWO
YEARS, AND ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CENTRALIZED ABUSE
MANAGEMENT OR CAM SYSTEM.
THIS IS REALLY THE CORNER STONE OF MANY OF OUR EFFORTS.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT AS OF MONDAY OF LAST WEEK, WE OFFICIALLY STARTED THE CAM STATEWIDE
ROLLOUT.
THIS SYSTEM IS REALLY CRUCIAL TO SOME OF JIM'S EARLIER POINTS, AROUND OUR EFFORTS TO TRACK
ABUSE, INVESTIGATE, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSES SO THAT WE CAN PREVENT FURTHER
ABUSE FROM OCCURRING.
THE SYSTEM WILL ENABLE US TO DO STANDARDIZED INVESTIGATION, STANDARDIZED SCREENING, AND
TRACK INCIDENTS BY VICTIM OR PERPETRATOR ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL.
THE CAM SYSTEM LAUNCHED IN JULY IN THE PILOT PHASE AT NORTHWEST SENIOR AND DISABILITY SERVICES
AND OVER IN OUR CENTRAL OREGON OFFICES.
SINCE THEN THESE OFFICES HAVE BEEN USING THE SYSTEM FOR ALL THEIR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES
WORK.
AND THE STATEWIDE ROLLOUT SO FAR IS PROGRESSING WELL, AND WE'RE ON SCHEDULE FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION
STATEWIDE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SECOND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR PLAN TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR MANY OF THE BENEFITS
THAT WE OFFER THROUGH AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, OUR TYPE B AAA OFFICES, AND
SELFSUFFICIENCY OFFICES.
AS FARIBORZ MENTIONED WE HAVE TWO PROJECTS UNDERWAY TO MAKE BENEFITS EASIER TO GET FROM
OREGONIANS WHO NEED THEM.
ONE IS THE INTEGRATED ELIGIBILITY PROJECT.
THIS IS REALLY SPECIFIC TO A TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM CALLED INTEGRATED ONE THAT WILL DETERMINE
THE FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
THEN A SECOND INITIATIVE OR PROJECT CALLED ELIGIBILITY TRANSFORMATION, AND THIS IS AN
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE WITHIN DHS THAT WILL CROSS-TRAIN STAFF TO WORK IN THE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS ON FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY, ACROSS APD AND AAA, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT OREGONIANS
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MULTIPLE BENEFITS AT ONE TIME.
SO AS A RESULT OF THESE PROJECTS, TOGETHER, WE EXPECT THAT BY FALL OF 2020, OREGONIANS
WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE HEARD FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
PEOPLE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO WALK INTO OFFICES, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO CALL AND APPLY OVER
THE PHONE, AND THEY ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE AN ONLINE OR APPLICANT PORTAL.
THEY WANT ALL THOSE OPTIONS AVAILABLE, NOT DON'T WANT US JUST MOVING IN ONE DIRECTION
WHERE YOU RECEIVE BENEFITS IN ONE PLACE.
THEY ALSO DON'T WANT, WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU, DUPLICATE PAPERWORK ON MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS,
SO MOVING TO THE SINGLE APPROACH THROUGH THIS SYSTEM.
THE BENEFITS THAT ARE INCLUDED ARE MEDICAID, SNAP OR FOOD STAMP PROGRAMS, TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE
FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, INCLUDING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EMPLOYMENT RELATED
DAYCARE, SUMMER MEALS, REFUGEE CASH AND REFUGEE MEDICAL PROGRAMS.
THIS MONTH WAS CRUCIAL IN THAT WE HAVE ENTERED THE TESTING PHASE FOR THE INTEGRATED ELIGIBLE
PROJECT.
DURING TESTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SYSTEMS, IT'S CRUCIAL THAT CHANGES THAT AFFECT TECHNOLOGY
AND RELATED SYSTEMS BE MINIMIZED.
THIS HELPS LIMIT RISK TO THE PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN BE ULTIMATELY SUCCESSFUL IN DELIVERING
THIS TO OREGONIANS.
THE SYSTEMS ARE INTERCONNECTED AND HAVE UNFORESEEN DEPENDENCIES.
SO, IT'S HARD TO PROVIDE THE EXACT LIST OF ALL THE SYSTEMS THAT HAVE POTENTIAL IMPACT
WITH INTEGRATED ELIGIBILITY.
THE REQUEST FOR CHANGES THAT ARE COMING IN FROM ALL DIFFERENT AVENUES WILL BE THOROUGHLY
VETTED AND ANALYZED THROUGH A TEAM OF CROSS PROGRAMMATIC ANALYSTS, CROSS AGENCY ANALYSTS,
TO DETERMINE WHAT THE IMPACT MAY OR MAY NOT BE.
THERE WILL BE LOTS MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGES AFTER WE'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE INTEGRATED
ONE SYSTEM.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING LOTS MORE DETAILS WITH YOU ABOUT THESE PROJECTS.
SO, THIS IS A VERY HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW.
THERE'S A ONEPAGE DOCUMENT THAT HOPEFULLY YOU PICKED UP, OR IT'S IN THE BACK OF THE
ROOM, THAT TALKS ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS AT A HIGH LEVEL.
BUT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO REALIZE THIS VISION AND GET ONE STEP CLOSER TO NO WRONG
DOOR FOR OREGONIANS.
SO, I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN A LITTLE BIT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND I'M NOW PLEASED TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE, LILIA TENINTY, THE DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE
OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES.
>> LILIA TENINTY: THANK YOU, ASHLEY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
GLAD TO BE HERE AND I'M GLAD YOU'VE ALL JOINED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STAKEHOLDER MEETING.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I TALKED ABOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE ODDS STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE PUT TOGETHER
WITH A NUMBER OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS, AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO MOVE
FORWARD ON OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES.
AT THIS POINT I'M BACK TO SAY FOR STARTERS, WE'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD ON OUR STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN, AND WE ARE TRYING TO AND WORKING HARD TO FRAME
EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING IN ODDS AND THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR STRATEGIC
PLAN.
ONE OF THE EXAMPLES I'M GLAD TO SHARE AROUND THAT IS THE POPS, THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED IN
THE AGENCY REQUEST BUDGET, ALL TIED DIRECTLY TO THE STRATEGIC GOALS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I'LL GIVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THAT AND ADD SOME CLARIFICATION THAT I ALREADY HAD
SOMEBODY OVER SOCIAL MEDIA ASK A QUESTION ABOUT.
OUR POPS FOR ODDS, ONE IS TO FULLY FUND A NEW RATE MODELS FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR
SERVICES.
THE SERVICES FOR THE DD SYSTEM, THE RATES FOR THOSE SERVICES, AGENCY PROVIDED SERVICES,
MANY OF THOSE RATES WERE SET WITH A RATE MODEL BACK IN 2007 USING A PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT
THAT WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM.
SO TO CONTINUE TO USE THESE RATE MODELS CREATES A NUMBER OF ISSUES FOR US BECAUSE FOR ONE
THING, THEY ARE BASED ON STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS THAT NO WE NO LONGER OPERATE AROUND, AND THEY
REALLY DON'T REFLECT THE REALITY OF WHAT WE EXPECT OUR PROVIDERS TO DO TODAY AND WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE CONTEXT OF SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITY.
SO, I WOULD SAY IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A RATE SETTING
AND/OR PROVIDERS TO COME UP WITH BRAND NEW RATE MODELS FOR ALL OUR SERVICES.
ULTIMATELY WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE COMPLETED THAT PROCESS IS THAT TO ADEQUATELY FUND THOSE
RATE MODELS, TO APPROPRIATELY FUND THOSE RATE MODELS, WE DO NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WHICH
TELLS US THAT OUR PROVIDERS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN RIGHT NOW WITH THE FUNDING AVAILABLE,
BUT THAT FUNDING DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE REALITIES OF WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE GOOD QUALITY,
HIGH QUALITY SERVICES AND TO RETAIN AND MAINTAIN A GOOD DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL WORK FORCE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR POPS.
ANOTHER POP THAT HAS ALSO BEEN PRIORITIZED WITHIN DHS OVERALL BECAUSE IT'S CONSISTENT
WITH THE OTHER PROGRAM AREAS IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR WORKLOAD
MODEL FUNDED.
AND OUR WORKLOAD MODEL - SO OUR POP LANGUAGE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT - OUR WORKLOAD MODEL
IS SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR CDEPS AND BROKERAGES.
SO, OUR FIELD OFFICES HAVE A WORKLOAD MODEL THAT WE'RE WORKING, THAT THE FTE WAS REDUCED
LAST BIENNIUM, AND WE'RE WORKING TO PUT THAT FTE BACK TO A HUNDRED PERCENT AND GET THE
FUNDING THAT WE NEED TO HELP OUR CASE MANAGEMENT ENTITIES IN OUR FIELD DO THE APPROPRIATE WORK
THEY NEED.
THOSE ARE TWO REALLY CRITICAL POPS FOR US.
WE HAVE OTHERS, BUT THOSE ARE DEFINITELY CRITICAL AND ALIGN WITH WHAT IS IN THE WORKLOAD MODEL,
WHAT'S IN THE WORKLOAD MODELS AND OUR EXPECTATION AND GOALS THAT THEY BE FUNDED AT A HUNDRED
PERCENT FOR OUR FIELD PARTNERS.
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING AROUND THE STATE.
ANNA LANSKY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND MYSELF, WILL BE GOING AROUND THE STATE TALKING WITH
FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES THAT WE SUPPORT
AND PARTNERS AND PROVIDERS, REALLY TO NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN BUT HEAR
FEEDBACK FROM THEM ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE SEE AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE WORK WE'RE
DOING BY LISTENING AND ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS.
OUR DATES SO FAR, ARE IN MEDFORD, ASTORIA AND EUGENE.
WE HAVE MANY OTHER DATES THAT WILL BE LAID OUT IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, AND HOPEFULLY
PEOPLE WILL CONNECT WITH US THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND OUT ABOUT MEETINGS THAT WILL
BE COMING IN THEIR AREAS.
SOME OTHER QUICK THINGS THAT I'LL POINT TO THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ODDS MAY
BE INTERESTED TO KNOW.
THIS LAST BIENNIUM WE HAD A GENERIC $12 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND REDUCTION THAT THE LEGISLATURE
PUT INTO THE BUDGET FOR US, JUST BASICALLY SAYING GO CUT $12 MILLION IN GENERAL FUNDS.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT AT THIS POINT IT DOES APPEAR WE MET THAT GOAL THROUGH JUST REGULAR
MANAGEMENT ACTIONS, SAVINGS IN OUR SERVICE AREAS, THEN MAXIMIZING FEDERAL MATCH WHEREVER
POSSIBLE.
SO, AT THIS POINT WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES OR REDUCTIONS
AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO REACH THAT $12 MILLION GENERIC REDUCTION.
WE THINK WE HAVE HIT IT AND WILL HIT BY THE END OF THE BIENNIUM AND SAVE THAT MONEY AS
WE WERE DIRECTED TO DO.
THE LAST THING I'LL TALK ABOUT JUST QUICKLY, KIND OF ADDING TO WHAT ASHLEY TALKED ABOUT
WITH THE CAM PROJECT, CENTRALIZED ABUSE MANAGEMENT PROJECT, ODDS IS ALSO PART OF THAT AND WE'LL
BE STARTING OUR PILOTS AND PHASE IN, AFTER APD COMPLETES THEIR PILOTS AND THEIR PHASE
IN. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH CDPS AND BROKERAGES TO LOOK AT WHAT IT CAN BE IN CAM, OR WHAT
IT NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE FOR A DD SYSTEM, NOT ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF ABUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM,
BUT ALSO AS SERIOUS INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM FOR US.
BECAUSE TO A POINT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER, AND I ALWAYS FEEL APPROPRIATE THE NEED TO
TALK ABOUT, IS BECAUSE WE IN THE DD SYSTEM STATE LEVEL DON'T HAVE A CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO GET SOME CENTRALIZED DATA ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PEOPLE WE
SUPPORT, BOTH IN THE CONTEXT OF ABUSE BUT ALSO IN THE CONTEXT OF SERIOUS INCIDENTS THAT
ARE OCCURRING.
SO, I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AND OTHER THINGS WHEN WE GET
TO THE QUESTION SEGMENT.
AT THIS POINT I AM VERY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE TRINA LEE, DIRECTOR OF THE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION.
>> THANK YOU, LILIA, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, MY NAME IS TRINA LEE AND I'M WITH VOCATIONAL
REHABILITION.
AND I'M HAVING A MICROPHONE ISSUE HERE.
FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH VOC REHAB, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC VISION AND MISSION.
OUR VISION IS THAT WE ARE HOPING TO HELP EVERY OREGONIAN WHO HAS A DISABILITY, WHO DESIRES
TO WORK IF GIVEN THE MEANS AND OPPORTUNITY.
DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN VR IS RESPONSIBLE.
IT MEANS COLLECTIVELY WE ARE IN A FABRIC TO BE ABLE TO HELP OREGONIANS WITH DISABILITIES.
SPECIFICALLY, FOR VR WE ASSIST OREGONIANS TO ACHIEVE, MAINTAIN AND ADVANCE EMPLOYMENT
AND INDEPENDENCE.
TO TELL YOU QUICKLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO THIS LAST YEAR.
WE SUCCESSFULLY SERVED OVER 17,000 OREGONIANS, WHICH MEANS ABOUT 2811 INDIVIDUALS WERE ABLE
TO SUCCESSFULLY CLOSE EMPLOYMENT.
SPECIFICALLY, WHEN WE LOOK THROUGH THE USE LENS WE HAD OVER A THOUSAND YOUTHS THAT WE
WORKED WITH, WITH INDIVIDUAL PLANS FOR EMPLOYMENT.
I THINK THE NEXT STATISTIC I'M GOING TO THROW OUT, I'M VERY PROUD OF BECAUSE WE LOOK AT
YOUTH IN SCHOOL, WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM SCHOOL, THIS LAST YEAR 80 PERCENT OF THOSE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS
WITH A DISABILITY EITHER WERE EMPLOYED OR WERE GOING TO POST SECONDARY SCHOOL.
AND THAT IS HUGE.
ABSOLUTELY HUGE.
SO, WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE ALSO COMPLETED A VERY SUCCESSFUL SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM WITH OUR SWIFT PROGRAM AND A
COUPLE OTHER ONES, CAMP LEAD, AND ALREADY MAKING PLANS FOR WORKING WITH YOUTH FOR THE
SUMMER.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE BEEN HIRING A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS.
WE HAVE JUST ABOUT FINISHED INCREASING OUR CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF.
I DON'T HAVE THE PERSON I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT RIGHT NOW, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU'LL BE
ABLE TO MEET TRYNA LUTIN, OUR NEW FIELD CHIEF.
I ALWAYS LAUGH BECAUSE PEOPLE SAID TRINA, YOU NEED TO CLONE YOURSELF, SO I HIRED ANOTHER
TRYNA.
I THINK IT'S WAY MORE FUNNY THAN SHE DOES.
BUT SHE COMES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR HER TO BRING
HER TALENTS AND SKILLS TO VR.
RIGHT NOW, SHE'S OVER IN THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE STATE IN ONTARIO VISITING OFFICES THERE
TODAY.
ALSO, WE HAD A CHANCE TO GET MANY OF OUR STAFF TO COME INTO AN INSERVICE THIS SUMMER.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
THAT WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY ACT, OR WIOA.
SO SPECIFICALLY, UNDER WIOA WE COMPLETED ANOTHER SUBMINIMUM WAGE PROJECT.
FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RECEIVING LESS THAN SUBMINIMUM WAGE, WE HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE
EMPLOYERS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS EVERY YEAR AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT
WHAT THEIR OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND HOW OUR AGENCY POTENTIALLY CAN HELP THEM, BUT ALSO IF THEY,
JUST SO THEY KNOW WHAT DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS CAN BE.
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN FOCUSING ON OUR POLICIES AND OUR PROCEDURES AND OUR INTERNAL CONTROL
PROCESSES AND DOING A LOT OF WORK AROUND PREEMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES.
FINALLY, THE OTHER THING WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS THIS LAST YEAR WE'VE HAD TO IMPLEMENT,
BECAUSE OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, SAYING WE NEED TO PRIOR AUTHORIZE MANY OF OUR SERVICES.
WE'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH REALLY ARDUOUS PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD WE MIGHT BE MONITORED NEXT YEAR, SO WE'RE STARTING TO PLAN THAT ALREADY.
SO, WE'LL KNOW THE END OF THIS MONTH IF OUR SA FOLKS WILL BE HERE THIS NEXT YEAR.
THEN FINALLY WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING UPON WHAT I HAVE BEEN CALLING VISION 2020.
IN THE YEAR 2020 THE PUBLIC VR PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, SO WE'RE
TRYING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT SHOULD THAT LOOK LIKE GOING IN THE FUTURE.
SO, THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT, SO THE MISSION FOR VISION 2020
IS THAT VR IS DRIVEN BY A COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND BUSINESSES AT THAT INTERACTION
BETWEEN ABILITY AND THE DEMAND FOR TALENT.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO REALLY CAPITALIZE UPON THAT SPECIAL MOMENT WHEN EMPLOYERS ARE NEEDING
TO BRING IN TALENT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE WANTING TO GO TO
WORK.
AND SO, GETTING THESE TWO INTERSECTIONS SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THAT'S GOING
TO LOOK LIKE AS WE START SHAPING THE PUBLIC VR PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE.
MY TIME IS UP AND BEFORE I GET THE STOP SIGN, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER.
THANK YOU.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU, NOW WE'LL GO INTO QUESTIONS.
AS YOU NOTICE THERE IS A SLIGHT LAG IN TIME FOR QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ON THE PHONE.
THAT'S PART OF OUR GUARANTEE OF ACCESSIBILITY TO EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
SOMETIMES THESE QUESTIONS, WE CAN'T GET TO THEM ALL, THERE'S A SLIGHT DELAY.
I EXPERIENCED THAT COMING UP HERE, I THOUGHT I COULD DRIVE FROM SACRAMENTO TO SALEM IN
ONE DAY.
I'D DONE IT BEFORE.
BUT MY WIFE, WHO IS AN OREGON NATIVE, INSISTED THAT I STOP IN MEDFORD WHERE SHE WORKED, IN
ASHLAND WHERE WE MET - TOOK A PICTURE OF BOTH HOUSES.
CANYONVILLE, ROSEBURG WHERE SHE WAS BORN, AND COTTAGE GROVE WHERE SHE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M TRYING TO UNPACK, AND SHE SAID "OH, REMEMBER THE TWO YEARS I WAS IN BANDON WITH MY MOM
WHEN MY PARENTS SPLIT UP?"
I SAID "HONEY, WE'LL GET TO IT LATER."
SO, IF WE MISS A QUESTION, WE'LL GET TO IT LATER.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE A QUESTION?
YES, GO AHEAD.
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER: YES.
JIM DAVIS.
NOW I'M REPRESENTING, I CHAIR THE STATE OLDER ADULT DISABILITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL.
WE ARE IN OUR FOURTH YEAR OF AN INITIATIVE THAT HAS PUT SPECIALISTS OUT IN THE FIELD
AROUND SENIOR DISABILITY MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION NEEDS.
WE HAVE MADE INROADS.
MOST OF OUR MONEY IS ON THE OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY
SIDE, BUT THIS WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE A PARTNERSHIP, THIS INITIATIVE.
OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL IS JOINT BETWEEN THE TWO PARTNERS.
THE INITIATIVE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PARTNERSHIP.
A LOT OF OUR SPECIALISTS ARE IN OTHER SETTINGS LIKE AAA'S, BUT THEY'RE LIKE WARRIORS WITHOUT
WEAPONS, THERE'S VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF SERVICES OR SUPPORTS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
ISSUES FOR OUR POPULATIONS.
SO, IN THIS NEXT SESSION WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR $10 MILLION, WHICH WE PROBABLY
WON'T GET, BUT IT IS TO BE SPLIT JOINTLY BETWEEN THE TWO PARTNERS TO WORK COOPERATIVELY AND
COLLABORATIVELY TO MAKE THIS A BETTER SITUATION.
WE HAVE A SECOND PIECE OF LEGISLATION, AND I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN POINTING THIS
QUESTION AT ASHLEY AND FARIBORZ.
THE SECOND PIECE OF LEGISLATION PUT FORTH BY ADVOCATES COULD ESSENTIALLY REQUIRE THE
TWO DEPARTMENTS TO GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS HOW THEY CAN COLLABORATIVELY DEAL WITH BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH PROBLEMS.
I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
SOMEBODY IN A MEDICAID APD RECIPIENT GETTING IN-HOME SERVICES OR MIGHT BE IN A RESIDENTIAL
FACILITY IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.
GOOD LUCK TRYING TO GET COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FROM THE OHA SIDE.
GOOD LUCK.
AND THERE'S GREAT FEARS THAT IT WILL BE AFFECT THEIR STANDING ON THE DHS SIDE.
SO, SUCH A SIMPLE SITUATION IS IMMENSELY COMPLEX.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING, AND I'D LOVE FARIBORZ, I KNOW ASHLEY, YOU'RE MAKING SOME GOOD EFFORTS
AROUND THIS AND YOU HAVE FACED THIS ISSUE.
YOU'RE DOING SOME REALLY GOOD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STUFF IN APD.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, NOW THAT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS, HOW IS IT OUR APD CLIENTEL SMOOTHLY AND SEAMLESSLY
ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES.
THEY ARE BOTH MEDICAID.
IT SHOULDN'T BE SO DIFFICULT.
I REALLY WOULD ASK YOU, IS IT TIME FOR THE TWO DEPARTMENTS TO GET TOGETHER AND START
TO DEAL WITH THIS HOW TO MAKE THIS EASIER.
WE'RE DEFINITELY BRINGING THIS TO THE LEGISLATURE.
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: THANK YOU, JIM, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK WE'RE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THERE'S A GAP, THERE HAS BEEN A GAP.
I WOULD SAY THAT OUR PARTNER IN OHA, PAT ALLEN, IS VERY AWARE OF THAT.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY RECRUITING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR AND I THINK THEY ARE ALSO
TRYING TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH GAP THAT EXISTS AS FAR AS SOMEBODY LEADING THAT.
AGAIN, I WANT TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THIS.
WHEN THE TWO AGENCIES SEPARATED, SOME THINGS FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND WE FACE THIS BOAT AS IT RELATES TO CHILDREN AND YOU'RE BRINGING DIFFERENT DIMENSION OF
THIS FORWARD.
WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A CONTINUUM OF CARE VISION BETWEEN THE TWO AGENCIES, MEANING THAT
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHETHER IT RESIDES IN OHA OR DHS, AGAIN IT SHOULD BE FOCUSED
ON THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
AS FAR AS AGENCY LEVEL GOES, I WILL COMMIT, AND I KNOW IF PAT WAS SITTING HERE WOULD DO
THE SAME THING.
MY PREFERENCE IS TO TAKE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS THAT YOU WANT TO
BRING FORWARD, I'M WILLING TO LOOK AT THAT.
I KNOW ASHLEY IS AS WELL.
WE'LL IDENTIFY THE VERY FIRST THING THAT WE NEED TO DO, IDENTIFY THE GAP THAT EXISTS.
THEN I CAN TELL YOU, I MEAN I'M NOT FULLY AWARE AS IT RELATES TO AGING AND PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, BUT AS RELATES TO CHILDREN, IT TOOK US A WHILE TO REALIZE, AND THIS DEALS
WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE EITHER BEHAVIORAL ISSUES OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THE COMMUNITY CAPACITY
IS LACKING.
MEANING THE CCOS DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THESE KIDS WHEN THE KIDS GO TO THE HOSPITALS,
THEY ARE NOT EXACTLY IN THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT.
WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT BEFORE THIS MEETING.
AND OHA DOES NOT HAVE A FACILITY TO SERVE THEM.
SO, WHAT IS LACKING IS PLACEMENT.
AND FOR US TO GET THE PLACEMENT, IT REQUIRES US TO WORK WITH PROVIDERS TO PAY THEM WHAT
IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY SERVE THAT LEVEL OF POPULATION, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS
OF THAT CHILD AND THE TRAJECTORY OF SUCCESS.
I WOULD THINK IT'S THE SAME IN AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
SO THAT ASSESSMENT PIECE, IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT PROVIDER AND CAPACITY, AND THEN REALLY
PAYING FOR IT I THINK IS THE LEAST TROUBLE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE.
PLACEMENT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE.
I'LL TURN IT TO ASHLEY AS SPECIFICALLY IT RELATES TO AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
>> ASHLEY CARSON COTTINGHAM: THANK YOU, FARIBORZ, AND FOR THE QUESTION, JIM.
I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE WORK ON PROBABLY ALMOST DAILY IN THE AGENCY, AND I THINK IT
IMPACTS ODDS AS WELL IN THEIR PROGRAM.
SO, WE ARE MEETING WITH THE OHA LEADERSHIP AND BEGINNING THE CONVERSATION OF HOW WE CAN
SERVE PEOPLE BETTER.
LIKE WHEN WE TALK WITH THEM, THEY WANT TO DO IT BETTER AND WE WANT TO.
YES, THE DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS AND DIFFERENT PROGRAMMATIC LAWS AND RULES SOMETIMES GET
IN THE WAY OF THAT.
AND IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO COLLECTIVELY SIT DOWN AND PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE
THAT THE PEOPLE AREN'T CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THAT BUREAUCRACY.
BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES SUFFERING.
SO, I THINK EVERYBODY AROUND THE TABLE IS COMMITTED TO GETTING THERE.
AND THE SENSE OF URGENCY I THINK IS FELT BY ALL OF US.
SO ON BOTH THE PROPOSALS, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE IN
TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON LINE?
>> OPERATOR: THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE PHONE LINE.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANKS.
>> COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MEMBER: WE HAVE THIS QUESTION ON SKYPE.
DOES DHS HAVE A METHOD OF IDENTIFYING THE MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SENIORS
OR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SO THEIR LOCATIONS CAN BE SHARED WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES IN THE
EVENT OF A DISASTER.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND LARGELY IMMOBILE OR DEPENDENT ON OXYGEN, FOR EXAMPLE,
ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK.
>> ROBERT OATES: OKAY, THE QUESTION TO SUMMARIZE, DO WE HAVE A WAY OF IDENTIFYING AT RISK INDIVIDUALS
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
ASHLEY?
THANKS.
>> ASHLEY CARSON COTTINGHAM: SO, THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THE MOST
VULNERABLE.
I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR MEDICAID CASELOAD ARE EASY FOR DHS TO IDENTIFY BECAUSE
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WE'RE SERVING DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
WE CAN WORK WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, THE AREA AGENCIES ON AGING OR THE SILS TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE OTHER VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS ARE.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT MOSTLY IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS, WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN THIS JOB
THROUGH STAN THOMAS, WHO IS IN OUR AGENCY AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT, IS THAT THE RESPONSE USUALLY FALLS TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL EMS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR CONTRACTED
OFFICES, THE AAA'S, OUR LOCAL OFFICES AND THE COUNTY LEADERSHIP THROUGH KIND OF A CENTRALIZED
TEAM HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR LISTS ARE THE SAME AS OUR LISTS.
SOMETIMES THEIR LISTS GO BEYOND THE MEDICAID CASELOAD AND PEOPLE CAN SELFELECT TO PLACE
THEMSELVES ONTO A COUNTY LIST IF THEY ARE, SAY, A PRIVATE PAY PERSON WITH A VENTILATOR
OR OTHER VERY INTENSIVE LONGTERM SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS.
I THINK WE'RE MAKING SOME REALLY GOOD HEADWAY AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A MORE SEAMLESS SYSTEM
IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
>> ROBERT OATES: QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> AUDIENCE MEMBER: MY NAME IS PETRONELA DONOVAN AND I WORK A LOT WITH THE SENIORS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE.
I APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND CHECKS.
THERE'S DEFINITELY PROGRESS THERE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO...
TOLD OUR STAFF IT'S HARD ENOUGH, BUT THEN TO TURN AROUND EVEN A COUPLE OF DAYS IS REALLY
DIFFICULT.
THEN A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AS FAR AS MEDICAID, I THINK FARIBORZ AND ASHLEY, YOU'RE HEARD
ME A MILLION TIMES TALK ABOUT THIS.
THE INCREASE OF THE MINIMUM WAGE WENT UP.
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR HOMES, MEDICAID RATES HAVE TO GO UP.
THROUGHOUT THE STATES WE HAVE 20 PERCENT OF THE ADULT CARE HOMES...
BECAUSE WE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE.
I WANTED TO THROW THAT QUESTION OUT THERE.
WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT DOING AS FAR AS THAT GOES, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
YOU KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING.
>> ROBERT OATES: THE LAST QUESTION WAS ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT RATES.
ANYONE WANT TO TAKE THAT?
WE'RE KEEPING HER BUSY.
>> ASHLEY CARSON COTTINGHAM: THANK YOU, PETRONELA FOR THE QUESTION.
IN OUR LIST OF POLICY OPTION PACKAGES, WE HAVE ONE AROUND COMMUNITY BASED CARE.
IT'S A FAIRLY ROBUST PACKAGE WHERE WE'RE ASKING FOR A 30 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE RATE FOR
ADULT FOSTER HOME PROVIDERS IN AGING AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY SYSTEM.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE RATES ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THE RATES IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AND DD SYSTEMS,
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT ENOUGH MONEY CAN BE PLACED INTO THE BARGAINING POT SO THAT THE RATES
CAN COME CLOSER INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THOSE OTHER TWO TYPES OF FOSTER HOMES.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT DECLINE THAT YOU MENTIONED, THE LOSS OF CAPACITY IN THE APD FOSTER HOME
WORLD.
WE ALSO WANT SOME MARKETING MONEY, SO WE'VE ASKED FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REALLY
GET OUT AND KIND OF HAVE THE STATEWIDE INITIATIVE TO TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF FOSTER HOMES AND
RECRUIT NEW PEOPLE INTO THE BUSINESS OR OPENING UP THEIR HOME TO PEOPLE IN NEED.
BECAUSE IT'S JUST BEEN SUCH A POPULAR MODEL IN THE STATE, AND WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE
TO SUPPORT OUR ADULT FOSTER HOME PROVIDERS.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU.
WE'RE ALMOST AT THE THREE O'CLOCK HOUR, SO WE'LL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS.
PLEASE LET US KNOW.
ONE MORE.
SORRY, I WAS LOOKING THIS WAY.
GO AHEAD.
>> I'M JUDY RICHARDS FROM NORTHWEST SENIOR DISABILITY SERVICE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THIS IS JUST A COMMENT, BUT DON HAD MENTIONED CONCERN ABOUT SUICIDE, AND IT IS BECOMING
A REAL CONCERN.
IT CIRCLES BACK TO MENTAL HEALTH, AND IT CIRCLES BACK TO ALL THE OTHER CONCERNS, HOMELESSNESS,
I MEAN, MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDE, HOMELESSNESS.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO EASY ANSWER.
BUT WE NEED SOME FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON THESE ISSUES.
SUICIDE IS RIGHT IN THERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU.
THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT SUICIDE PREVENTION, A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC.
I KNOW DON IS FOCUSED ON IT.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT?
BRINGING THE MIC DOWN.
>> DON ERICKSON: I REALIZE WE'RE OUT OF TIME, BUT I DID WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT THE FOLKS
WHO ARE AGING DO REPRESENT ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE COUNTRY FOR
SUICIDE, AND THAT THAT'S CERTAINLY RECOGNIZED BY THE OREGON SUICIDE ALLIANCE, AND THEY HAVE
A SPECIFIC GROUP THAT ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON THAT POPULATION.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BECOME MORE OF A NATIONAL FOCUS AS WELL, THAT THAT'S A POPULATION THAT'S
BEEN UNDER RECOGNIZED AND CERTAINLY UNDERSERVED IN THAT REGARD.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AGREE COMPLETELY.
>> ROBERT OATES: THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT.
THE DIRECTOR WILL MAKE CLOSING REMARKS.
I WANT TO BRIEFLY THANK EVERYONE WHO HELPED US SET UP AND ORGANIZE, APPRECIATE EVERYONE.
>> FARIBORZ PAKSERESHT: THANK YOU, ROBERT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING.
WE HAD ACTUALLY MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION IN THE TIME THAN WE THOUGHT.
WE HAD MORE PEOPLE HERE TODAY.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE COMING BACK.
SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS AFTER THE SESSION IF SOMETHING COMES UP.
AGAIN, I THINK ONE OF OUR BIGGEST TASKS AND CHALLENGES IS TO IDENTIFY THE GAPS THAT EXIST
WITHIN DHS FOR SERVICES AND OUTSIDE OF DHS, AGAIN WITH A FOCUS ON THE POPULATIONS THAT
WE SERVE.
SO, THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE DAY.
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