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Milwaukie panel highlights expanded behavioral‑health outreach, 23‑hour stabilization center use and library partnerships
Summary
City staff, police and nonprofit partners told the council that added outreach staff and a new case manager will expand behavioral‑health coverage to six days a week; presenters cited the 23‑hour stabilization center and library-based outreach as key tools for connecting people to services.
Milwaukie officials and nonprofit partners on March 3 described expanded behavioral‑health outreach, a 23‑hour stabilization center and deeper library partnerships that city leaders say are reducing emergency contacts and improving follow-up.
The update, presented to the council during a work session, said the police department currently has about 31 officers and expects four new hires in the near term; utility‑fee revenue recently authorized by the city has helped restart recruiting. The presentation announced a new case manager, Trista Erickson, scheduled to begin March 9, which staff said will increase behavioral‑health coverage from roughly four days to six days a week.
Why it matters: presenters and council members said broader coverage and the partnerships between police, LoveOne (the outreach nonprofit) and the library are helping divert people from jails and emergency rooms and connect them with housing, counseling and other supports.
Speakers and evidence: Glenn Cicanick, introduced to the council as LoveOne’s deputy director, described the 23‑hour stabilization center and the kinds of cases it serves, saying, “The stabilization center is 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds,” and noting the facility’s on‑site clinicians, peer supports and short‑term observation model. Police presenters said the stabilization center offers an alternative to hospital holds for people who are willing to engage and that staff can place extensions for people who need more time with on‑site counselors.
Library staff described using a Patron Incident Tracking System (PITS) to share incident reports, make referrals and coordinate follow‑up. A library presenter said the system has allowed staff to send case details to outreach teams and to avoid duplicative work: the library flagged people who had been in the 13‑bed shelter and handed information to outreach partners so caseworkers could pick up where someone left off.
Panelists also shared utilization figures to illustrate demand and progress. LoveOne and outreach staff reported that since the stabilization center opened in mid‑December, about 17 Milwaukee residents had used the 23‑hour center and that more people have been connected to services through coordinated follow‑up. City participants referenced a county briefing summarizing regional trends: “There are 582 new houseless people every month,” a council officer said, and presenters added that about 332 people can be served in existing programs, leaving others unserved in that period.
Discussion and next steps: council members and business representatives asked about gaps in after‑hours support and whether the stabilization center and shelter intake could better align; presenters proposed follow‑up meetings to develop business‑community referral networks and training (overdose response, suicide prevention, de‑escalation). Panelists emphasized continuing case conferencing, monthly multi‑agency meetings and weekly police briefings that include outreach staff to coordinate ongoing cases.
The council thanked the presenters and said staff would follow up on scheduling introductions and additional community engagement. The work session then moved to a transit presentation later in the agenda.
