As always, we welcome your comments and are happy to include items from you which are of general interest to the behavioral health community. The Behavioral Health Division's HUB Project just hired three Peer Advocates to work with HUB for two months to help get medications, housing support, eviction prevention, crisis respite, and case management services to eligible clients. All three Peer Advocates have been through the daVinci Employment and Education Project, a consumer-run program which helps consumers find employment in the mental health field. Both daVinci and the HUB services have been funded with State money given to Multnomah County to help with the redesign of the mental health system. Governor John Kitzhaber has proclaimed May 2001 to be National Drug Court Month in Oregon.
Drug courts focus the community on dealing with drug abuse and crime.
The drug court movement has grown from 12 original courts in 1993 to over 1,000 in operation or in the planning stages today. Multnomah County's Juvenile Treatment Court started in January, and plans are underway for a new expanded drug court for adults who are post-conviction. The training is free and there are still spaces available. SE Stevens Rd., Clackamas. This is one of 14 such forums throughout the state designed for service providers, educators, family members, and community members.