Clackamas County denied funding for deflection program to help drug users, DA says

Clackamas County, Oregon, was denied state funding for a deflection program to connect drug users with treatment options, leaving the county in a scramble to prepare for the implementation of HB 4002.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon's new law to recriminalize the possession of small amounts of illegal drugs will go into effect in less than a month, leaving counties across the state in a scramble to prepare their resources.

But while Multnomah County will receive state funding to create deflection programs that usher drug users toward treatment instead of jail, Clackamas County was told they would not receive the same funding.

Clackamas is the third largest county in the state – only smaller than Multnomah County and Washington counties. Despite its size, the county will not have the money for a deflection program when HB 4002 goes into effect Sept. 1, as first reported by Willamette Week.

District Attorney John Wentworth shared the following statement with KOIN 6 News:

“Years before HB4002 was enacted, Clackamas County developed a program to deflect those suffering from drug addiction away from the criminal justice system and into treatment. Our program was successful. We know what works. Measure 110 destroyed that program. A committee made up of members from outside our county are now saying they know better than we do what works in Clackamas County. We are the third most populous county, but six counties were offered more money than we were to stand up their programs. We submitted a proposal for a program that aligns with HB 4002, and created the best program we could with the funds we were given based on our past success. The denial of funding means we will not have a deflection program in Clackamas County.”

A deflection program is meant to allow someone found with drugs to be connected with treatment options rather than go to jail, but a state criminal justice committee that decides whether a county gets money for a deflection program ruled that Clackamas County's plan was not really deflection. Rather, they said it was more diversion – directing those caught with drugs to community court and using pending legal charges to encourage people to get treatment.

Wentworth said the county will have to prosecute offenders before even offering treatment without the option of a deflection program.

However, Clackamas County intends to appeal the decision. The county commission will discuss next steps at a meeting on Tuesday.