Marion County approves Health & Human Services contracts for strategic planning, crisis services and housing supports; exempts home-based services contract

The Marion County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22 approved multiple Health and Human Services contracts and an exemption to reinstate an expired provider contract while the county completes a competitive procurement.

Joe James, strategic planning coordinator for Marion County Health and Human Services (MCHHS), and Katrina Griffiths, deputy director, asked the board to approve a $175,000 contract with Village REACH to facilitate a five-year strategic planning process for MCHHS. "Strategic planning allows for the alignment of goals and outcomes for our Marion County community and stakeholders," James said. Commissioners approved the contract; James said the county expects Village REACH to start in February with a work period through March 2026.

Debbie Wells, division director for Behavioral Health Crisis Services, requested approval of an incoming-funds contract with Santiam Memorial Hospital to provide county crisis-center staff to conduct overnight mental-health assessments at the hospital. "The hospital would be primary, but we do have the ability to facilitate helping people get connected to services, including Oregon Health Plan," Wells explained when commissioners asked how costs and responsibilities would be handled. She told the board the $120,000 contract covers county expenses for assessments. Commissioners approved the contract by voice vote.

Christina Burchi, program manager for Housing Services, presented a memorandum of understanding with PacificSource Community Solutions for $135,200 to support the "Supporting Health for All through Reinvestment" initiative. The MOU will fund tenant-education classes, barrier-removal funds (up to $1,600 per eligible participant), background checks and limited transportation assistance to help individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or substance-use disorders obtain stable housing. Burchi said the program will serve approximately 60 people for barrier-removal funds and up to 160 for background checks over a two-year period and will train staff to deliver tenant-education curriculum including Ready to Rent or RentWell certificates.

In a separate procedural action, the board convened as the contract review board and, at staff request, approved an exemption from Marion County public contracting rules to reinstate an expired contract with Pelton Project Inc. The exemption will allow the county to continue home- and community-based habilitation services (a 1915 Medicaid benefit) while issuing a request for proposals to identify a replacement provider. Procurement staff described the action as temporary; commissioners approved the exemption by voice vote.

The commissioners closed the meeting by reconvening the full board and adjourning. Staff and commissioners noted the motions passed by unanimous voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.