Clatsop County public-health staff present draft health equity plan; members press for homelessness, mental-health and provider access to be addressed

Jill Quackenbush of Clatsop County Public Health presented a draft health equity plan to the county’s advisory group, saying the plan implements findings from a 2021 regional health equity assessment and responds to the Oregon Health Authority’s public-health modernization requirements.

Quackenbush said the county’s draft priorities are family support and childcare, youth substance use and building the health department’s internal capacity for culturally responsive, community-engaged work. “The next step is to complete for Clatsop County to complete the required health equity plan, which is essentially playing that assessment into action,” she said.

Why it matters: The health equity plan will guide the county’s public-health priorities and funding under the state modernization framework and is due to the Oregon Health Authority on June 30. The plan could shape how the county addresses upstream factors — childcare, prevention and department practices — that affect health across communities.

Plan background and timeline

Quackenbush described public-health modernization as an Oregon Health Authority (OHA) program that set foundational public-health services and capabilities. She said the county received OHA funding to implement the modernization framework and contracted Reed Group to help develop the equity plan.

The planning roadmap presented begins with initiation and data collection in early 2025, followed by community outreach, prioritization and a final plan due to the state by June 30; Quackenbush said staff plan to brief the county commissioners in early June.

Community concerns raised during the discussion

Advisory members asked why homelessness and adult mental-health and substance-use issues were not among the top three priorities. Linda Winstanley said those problems are “a huge county public-health issue.” Quackenbush responded that homelessness and adult behavioral-health issues appeared in the 2021 assessment but were not listed as a top priority because there are already community efforts and partner momentum on those topics; she said the health equity plan narrows focus to areas where the department can add distinct value.

Commissioner Thompson said the county receives frequent complaints from neighbors about large encampments and people in vans and tents and said those situations create acute concerns for rural neighborhoods. “Some of the most problematic issues for neighbors are when there’s a … gathering of people in vans and tents,” she said.

Julia Weinberg, speaking as a private mental-health provider, said private clinicians and some clients face long waits or no callbacks from Clatsop Behavioral Health (CBH). Weinberg said she has referred youths for substance-use counseling and encountered a lack of specialized providers for adolescents.

CBH capacity and access

Quackenbush and other staff acknowledged coordination challenges with behavioral-health capacity. A CBH representative noted in the meeting chat that CBH “tracks all our engagement calls” and that CBH operates drop-in clinics in Seaside and Astoria Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advisory members urged clearer referral pathways so people seeking care are not left without response.

Priorities explained

Quackenbush said family support and childcare were prioritized because childcare access is a foundational social determinant of health that affects low-income and rural households. Youth substance use was flagged as an emerging issue with active community and school-based efforts. The third priority — building Clatsop County Public Health’s ability to do culturally responsive community engagement — includes improving linguistic access, community listening sessions and accountability mechanisms.

Next steps and how to provide input

Quackenbush asked advisory members for feedback on whether the priorities reflect community needs and invited suggestions on public-health roles and meaningful engagement strategies. She said the draft plan will be refined with ongoing outreach and reported back to the board of county commissioners in early June before the state deadline.

Ending

Advisory members asked that the plan reflect concerns about homelessness and adult behavioral health and requested clearer coordination between CBH and other providers. Quackenbush said the department will incorporate community input and return with updates.