Measure 110 Addiction Treatment Money Is Seeping Out

This week, the Oregon Health Authority announced a small step forward.

Lobby of a Southeast Portland drug treatment program. (Brian Burk)
By Nigel Jaquiss

As WW reported recently, the Oregon Health Authority and its 20-member oversight panel are struggling to deploy nearly $270 million earmarked by Measure 110 for addiction treatment.

That 2020 ballot measure decriminalized the personal use of most hard drugs and diverted a lucrative stream of recreational cannabis tax revenue to addiction treatment.

This week, the agency announced a small step forward: On April 15, it notified providers in the first two counties, Baker and Morrow, of its intention to award funds. The agency expects to make awards to at least six more counties this week, although none yet in the Portland metro area.

The backlog is a result of OHA receiving 333 applications from addiction treatment service providers across the state. Each of those applications requires two reviews of more than 300 questions. OHA said in April it had completed 429 of the 666 reviews.

Blue Valentine, a co-chair of the Oversight and Accountability Council, says everybody is working as fast as possible. “OAC members want to get funds into the community without further delay.”

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