Multnomah County deflection program receives criticism as deadline approaches

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In just about a month, a new Oregon law will re-criminalize small amounts of street drugs on the same day several counties begin deflection programs to give offenders the choice to undergo treatment rather than face jail time.

But as time runs out, Multnomah County commissioners continue to argue over what their deflection center should look like — especially after Chair Jessica Vega Pederson led months of closed-door meetings to develop her plan.

Under the chair’s deflection program, a loophole could allow people caught using drugs to avoid arrest and possibly walk away without mandated treatment when drug criminalization goes into effect on Sept. 1.

In preparation for the September deadline, the county signed a contract with the Tuerk House — a Baltimore nonprofit that provides drug and alcohol treatment — to operate the deflection center located on Southeast Sandy Boulevard.

Despite vocal criticism from the public, the program passed with a 3-2 vote from the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Thursday, effectively allocating $2 million to the development of the center. 

However, controversy surrounding the program stemmed from Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson’s decision to develop the plan behind closed doors — without her fellow commissioners — in favor of planning with other county leaders, such as Portland Police Chief Bob Day and Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt.

Chair Vega Pederson’s plan gives those caught with hard drugs the choice between serving jail time or receiving treatment for a substance use disorder, but also allows them to avoid arrest and possibly walk away without mandated treatment. This outcome is possible for people who get dropped off at the deflection center and go through a screening and assessment with a peer counselor, but are not required to follow a plan for drug treatment.

But while commissioners voted to pass the program, they did so with a joint amendment to update the program by Aug. 15.

This amendment prompted Vega Pederson to share a new plan on Friday in which she said any person opting for deflection will need to follow up within 30 days of the plan. If someone is caught with drugs within that time frame, they would face arrest and be taken to jail.

In a conversation with KOIN 6 News on Saturday, Commissioner Sharon Meieran voiced the concerns that prompted her and fellow Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards to vote against the proposal. 

According to Commissioner Meieran, the county should be spending its taxpayer money on opening a sobering center for those addicted to drugs, rather than the chair’s proposal to offer a potential treatment plan.

“It’s treatment, and then it’s recovery services, recovery housing — it’s whatever they need to be on the path," Meieran said. "That’s success. I don’t see any element of that or even any understanding of that in that system and what I’ve seen come out of this behind-closed-doors leadership team.”

Meanwhile, Washington County's program does not involve a center at all. Instead, deputies will give out citations to drug users with a court date to appear about a week later. To avoid jail, they will need to connect with an outreach worker whose contact information will be given to them when they get a ticket.

“Our program has teeth in the sense that if they don't call us, we'll be reaching out and trying to connect up with them," Deflection Program Coordinator Joe Sammich said. "If that doesn't happen or they refuse treatment, then they're criminally prosecuted"

Washington County officials said all county leaders have been involved in the process.