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Benton County hires deflection coordinator, outlines Jan. 1 soft launch for behavioral health program
Summary
County staff introduced new deflection coordinator Liana Linville and outlined a pilot under Oregon House Bill 4002 that will start with citation‑only possession cases, backed by a roughly $258,000 implementation grant and technical assistance from OHSU. Commissioners discussed funding and a likely soft launch on Jan. 1.
Benton County on Dec. 3 introduced its new behavioral health deflection coordinator and detailed plans to roll out a pilot program created under Oregon House Bill 4002.
Rachel Vance, who led the update for county staff, welcomed Liana Linville as the county’s new deflection program coordinator and said the county received an implementation grant of about $258,000 this summer to support initial work. Vance said the county’s approach is to “start small and then undertake a continuous quality improvement approach,” and that staff are focusing on building partnerships, data systems, training and the forms and releases needed to operate the program.
Vance described four agreed outcomes for the pilot: improve treatment readiness, reduce recidivism by providing wraparound supports, reduce emergency‑department visits among participants, and reduce overdose deaths. She said the county has engaged Oregon Health & Science University for technical assistance and has been coordinating across the district attorney’s office, law enforcement and community service providers.
On eligibility, staff said the initial pilot will accept people who have received a citation for possession of a controlled substance alone (not in conjunction with other charges) and that participation will be voluntary. “Our goal is really to provide an alternative to the criminal justice system for folks and to really create a path, with supports to help folks move towards self‑sufficiency,” Vance said.
Commissioners praised the hiring and urged a cautious rollout. One commissioner asked whether the Legislature will continue funding beyond the initial one‑time grants; a county presenter said funding continuity is uncertain but that there are multiple potential funding sources (health authority grants, opioid settlement dollars, Measure 110‑related funding and other state sources) to pursue.
District Attorney staff and local law enforcement have been involved in setting program success criteria, commissioners were told. Liana Linville, who the county said brings prior experience coordinating behavioral health grants and programs in Marion County, said she is “really glad to be back here in Benton County” and looks forward to working with local partners.
County staff said they anticipate a soft launch around Jan. 1 with more formal workflows and community engagement to follow. They stressed the pilot orientation and training (including for law enforcement) will continue after the soft launch as staff refine the program.
Next steps: staff will continue work on forms, contracts, data systems and community outreach ahead of the soft launch; commissioners asked for ongoing reporting through the Willamette Criminal Justice Council and other cross‑jurisdictional forums.
