New City & County Homeless Services Director is longtime healthcare executive

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - A leader with decades of healthcare experience is coming to lead the Joint Office of Homeless Services for Multnomah County and Portland.

The office provides outreach, shelter, and other resources to those living on the streets.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler joined county commissioners Wednesday to kick off this next chapter in fighting homelessness in the Metro Area.

The next joint office of homeless services director is Dan Field, who is a long-time executive at Kaiser Permanente.

In a statement, county and city officials say they chose him out of nearly 50 applicants because of what they say is his impressive leadership in public health as it relates to homelessness.

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One example cited in the statement is when Field led Portland hospital systems to invest in the Blackburn Center, which opened in 2019 in  East Portland.

The center has a clinic, and over 120 supportive housing units for people living on the streets with mental health issues.

At the Wednesday press conference announcing him as the new Joint Office Director, Field said he is ready to utilize all funds available to meet this moment of crisis.

He emphasized his goal is to hold his agency accountable to make a difference with the resources given.

“Hopefully most dollars are well used, well deployed, and effective,” said Field. “And we will find some dollars that are not. And so my commitment is when we find those dollars that are not being effectively used, we will recommit those.”

With the new director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services stepping in, Mayor Ted Wheeler and County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson say collaboration between the city and county on homelessness has never been better.

“For the first time in my over six-year mayoral tenure we are collaborating and working closely together,” said Wheler. “That gives me a lot of optimism.”

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An important part of the city and county teamwork is also securing emergency funds from the state for homeless and housing programs, such as the six designated campsites spearheaded by Mayor Wheeler. Gov. Tina Kotek has repeatedly said in order for Portland and Multnomah County to secure funding, there must be a clear plan that meets her standards, and Chair Vega Pedersen says a plan has already been sent to state officials.

“It was actually due on Friday of last week and that was submitted and I think we’re awaiting the comments from the governor’s office,” said Vega Pedersen.  “But we feel very confident that it meets the needs and goals that the governor has set out.”