Oregon Health Authority provides update on Measure 110 funding for addiction recovery

SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) - State health officials say they’ve made significant progress sending out money meant for addiction recovery across Oregon.

On Tuesday, the Oregon Health Authority provided an update on investments from Measure 110. The measure, which voters passed in 2020, decriminalizes small amounts of illegal drugs and allocated more money to addiction recovery.

RELATED: It’s been one year since Measure 110 went into effect, it’ll undergo an audit this year

Many people have been critical of the slow rollout of funding, and in a press briefing Tuesday, OHA’s Behavioral Health Director, Steve Allen, acknowledged that. Allen said when you do something for the first time, you’re bound to make mistakes.

But OHA now says it has sent $845 million to nonprofits across the state. The agency says that has helped provide care to more than 16,000 people over the course of six months.

“More people are alive in Marion and Lane County today because the HIV Alliance used Measure 110 funds to directly reverse over 500 overdoses,” said Tera Hurst, Executive Director at Health Justice Recovery Alliance.

OHA expects to award another $291 million by the end of the year. That would bring the total to $1.1 billion, about 84% of the funding that was allocated by the legislature.

That money will focus on a number of things including creating more behavioral health beds and diversifying the behavioral health workforce through scholarships and tuition assistance.

RELATED: Some in local law enforcement say Measure 110 is backfiring

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