County board OKs HHS request to apply for $5M in funding

Yamhill County Health and Human Services could soon have an additional $5 million in state funding to address substance abuse and the money might be used on a much-needed detox or rehabilitation facility.

The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a request from HHS Director Lindsey Manfrin Thursday to apply for funding from the Oregon Health Authority related to Measure 110 and its recent rollback.

If received, the funds can be used over a four-year period ending in 2029 on a variety of substance use treatment and support services.

The funding will be used to support walk-in behavioral health assessments, expand transitional treatment and recovery homes, ensure client access to Narcan and potentially set up a withdrawal and residential treatment program, according to Manfrin.

Board Chair Lindsay Berschauer noted that part of the plan is to fund a facility and asked if the board would have future input on those choices. Berschauer has repeatedly publicly discussed the need for facilities and additional beds for treatment in the county.

“This is to apply and more work to come,” County Administrator Ken Huffer replied.

Commissioner Mary Starrett said some of the smaller fund uses are approved, but the application isn’t at a point to discuss long-term capital projects.

“I don’t think there’s anything hard and fast (in the approval),” Starrett said. “We’re talking about some of the stuff that’s easier to implement or access or work in, but I don’t think we’re at the place of taking millions of dollars and talking about that at this point.”

If approved, HHS can begin using the funds on July 1, 2025.

The board also unanimously approved a letter in opposition to the proposed Measure 118, known as universal basic income legislation.

The bill would implement a 3% increase in Oregon’s minimum corporate tax on all sales in the state above $25 million, with proceeds distributed evenly to every Oregonian, estimated at between $1,000 and $1,600 annually.

Berschauer read the letter and summarized the board’s opposition to the measure.

“It constitutes what will be a $6.8 billion tax on sales,” she said. “We’ve been down this road before, it is not good for consumers and I think the part that bothers me the most is that this measure is being funded by people who do not even live in this state.”

Measure 118 was filed by Portland resident Antonio Gisbert, but the effort to get the measure on the ballot was largely funded by California-based UBI supporters.

“We, for whatever reason, seem to be the petri dish of bad policy via ballot measure and it’s really hurting the citizens who live here,” Berschauer said.

Measure 118 will be on the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election.