County accepts reduced Measure 110 BHRN award; health officials warn of harm-reduction cuts
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Summary
Deschutes County accepted a $6.65 million Measure 110 BHRN grant award that was substantially less than the county's $11.5 million request. Health officials said the reduction requires cutting harm-reduction services over a 13-month transition and working with community partners to sustain key elements such as naloxone distribution.
Deschutes County Health Services told the Board of Commissioners on June 25 that Oregon Health Authority awarded the county $6,650,000 under Measure 110 Behavioral Health Resource Network (BHRN) funding, substantially less than the $11.5 million the county had requested.
Holly Harris, interim health services director, and staff described the county's original request and the award process. Harris said the Oversight and Accountability Council originally managed allocations and an inconsistent process led to some community mental health programs receiving little or no funding in an early round; the council later reallocated awards but Deschutes County's final award remained below the request. State legislation (Senate Bill 610) will move allocation responsibility from the Oversight and Accountability Council to the Oregon Health Authority, which Harris said she hopes will standardize future award processes.
The county's accepted grant covers multiple years and funds staff and program costs: the award as presented included funding to support 12.81 full-time equivalents (FTE) in year one (reducing to 10.81 FTE in years 2–4), $10,000 for harm-reduction supplies for year one and administrative indirect costs. Health staff said the lower award means harm-reduction services the county currently operates cannot be fully sustained at current levels. The county intends to use a 13-month transition window to work with community partners (BestCare and other local organizations were mentioned) to shift harm-reduction activities and purchase the most critical supplies (naloxone, syringe exchange supplies) while maintaining naloxone distribution from county reserves as needed.
Harris and staff stressed the immediate public-health implications: harm-reduction staff have performed outreach, distributed naloxone and run exchanges that county leaders said have saved lives. Commissioners expressed concern about program reductions and asked staff to document and track overdose and reversal numbers; health staff said they would provide updated overdose statistics and work with partners to minimize interruptions in services.
The board voted to accept the grant agreement and authorize the chair to sign (document 2025-638). Commissioners and health staff said they will continue to press for consistent statewide allocation procedures and will pursue partnership arrangements to preserve key services during the grant period.
