Section Committee Named to Pick Replacement Site of Oregon State Hospital

The Governor says this is a critical step as the state works together to implement plans to redesign Oregon’s mental health system.

One of the Oregon State Hospital's many aging buildings Photo by: Bonnie King

(SALEM) - Governor Kulongoski, Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem/Gervais/Woodburn) and House Speaker Karen Minnis (R-Wood Village) have announced creation of the Oregon State Hospital Site Selection Criteria Committee. Committee members include representatives from the Department of Human Services, Department of Administrative Services and both houses of the Oregon Legislature.

The committee`s charge is to finalize the site selection criteria by Sept. 1 for the Department of Administrative Services Facilities Division. DAS will use that criteria to create a list of suitable sites for review by the Governor and Legislature. Final site selections are scheduled to take place before the end of the 2007 Legislative Session.

DHS Director Bruce Goldberg will serve as Committee Chair. DAS Director Lindsay Ball also will serve on the Committee, and the Governor or his designee will participate as a non-voting member.

Additional Committee members include:

Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem/Gervais/Woodburn)

Senator Laurie Monnes-Anderson (D-Gresham)

Senator David Nelson (R-Pendleton)

Senator Jackie Winters (R-Salem)

Rep. Jeff Barker (D-Aloha)

Rep. Debbie Boone (D-Cannon Beach)

Rep. Bruce Hanna (R-Cottage Grove)

Rep. Bob Jenson (R-Pendleton)

Senator Avel Gordly (D-Portland) and Representative Billy Dalto (R-Salem) have been named as alternate Committee members.

`We`ve got to build a new state hospital and we`ve got to build it fast," said Senate President Courtney. `With life-threatening conditions in the J Building and a federal investigation under way, it`s time to get moving."

`This is the first step in an inclusive process to improve Oregon`s mental health facilities and provide better care for those who need it," said Speaker Minnis. `It`s important to me to have all parts of Oregon represented on this committee and I want to thank these individuals for their passionate interest in putting Oregon at the forefront of mental health treatment."

The Committee is set to hold its first meeting July 17th in the Capitol Building. The meeting, which begins at 8:30 AM and is expected to last until approximately 3 PM, will begin with a review of the master plan developed by KMD Architects of San Francisco for redesigning the state`s mental health system, followed by an opportunity for Committee discussion and public comment. The afternoon will include a review and discussion of the process for determining site selection criteria.

The state`s proposal for replacing the Oregon State Hospital calls for siting one 620-bed facility in the North Willamette Valley region, one 360-bed facility south of Linn County on the west side of the Cascades, and at least two non-hospital-level 16-bed secure residential treatment settings east of the Cascades. The anticipated cost ranges from $324 million to $334 million.

`I am looking forward to working on this effort," said DHS Director Goldberg. `Construction of these new hospital facilities will be an essential part of implementing a community-based mental health care model for Oregon."