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16 Feb 2023
In case you missed it…
Despite M110, mental health services stressed in Rural Lane
The exterior of South Lane Mental Health, one of few organizations in Rural Lane County to receive Measure 110 funding.
COTTAGE GROVE – Jon Roberts’ road to recovery didn’t start until his fourth time in prison. It was only then he was offered the chance to enroll in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) program.
“What came before that was seven felony possessions for controlled substances,” he said. “It was right there, clearly on paper. You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out I had a problem.”
Now, Roberts works as the Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA) program manager for South Lane Mental Health (SLMH), dedicating his life to removing barriers to treatment. He advocated for Measure 110 when it passed back in 2020, even traveling to Salem to meet with state leaders.
“If we can stop punishing people for having a problem and do the actual healing work with them, they can create a life that doesn’t infer the need to feel different. They can love to wake up in the morning and enjoy what they’re doing,” he said.
South Lane Mental Health is one of 18 organizations in Lane County that has received funding through Oregon’s voter-approved M110 — and one of the only to operate outside the Eugene/Springfield area. So far, it’s covered roughly $300 million in grants for organizations offering services from housing to needle exchanges; OHA released a report this week saying it served over 60,000 people in recovery through the end of September.
Ryleigh Norgrove is an Oregon-based journalist and photographer. She grew up in the Bay Area before graduating from Willamette University with a degree in English. At The Chronicle, she covers local government, homelessness and breaking news. She’s passionate about starting thoughtful community conversations, solution-oriented reporting and, most importantly, hiking with her dog.
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