Latest news with #HB4002
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
Drug user drop-off program sees early progress in Multnomah County, data show
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – It's been six months since Multnomah County kicked off its deflection program that gives drug users a choice between seeking treatment and serving jail time. The deflection program , and within four months, law enforcement partners reported 221 referrals — including nine repeat referrals. According to the county, 67% of drug users chose the treatment route. Columbia River Gorge hit hard by atmospheric river as Portland sees record rain Of those who engaged in the deflection program, more than 24% were marked as a 'successful' completion by the county. Multnomah County officials previously told KOIN 6 News that success is measured by whether a person . The county also reported that 31 deflections from the first three months are still pending as of late February. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said these numbers are a good starting off point for a program that remains in development. 'This initiative has not only built pathways to treatment, it has integrated life-saving wraparound services as an alternative to the legal system,' Vega Pederson said. 'We were called on to offer evidence-based support in a caring and compassionate environment while holding people accountable – and that's exactly what we've done.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The creation of Multnomah County's deflection program coincided with the passage of HB 4002, which re-introduced criminal penalties for people possessing small amounts of hard drugs in Oregon. The bill created an opportunity for individual counties to build deflection programs to help people with addiction. However, the county also clarified that these early reports should be taken with a grain of salt due to the 'small sample size and the newness of the program.' 'While there are some similarities in deflection programs across the country, deflection programs are typically designed to meet unique local challenges and there is no standardized data collection mechanism,' according to the county. 'Even in Oregon, each county's program is somewhat unique.' During a public safety briefing on Feb. 12, the Oregon Criminal Justice Commissioner's executive director Ken Sanchagrin said he is 'focused mostly on the number of folks going in to make sure these programs are robust enough.' The Coordinated Care Pathway Center in SE Portland serves as the county's official drop-off point for drug users seeking treatment. The center, which under the service provider , is currently in 'phase one' with assessment and exam rooms, shower facilities and staff officers. Those taken to the center are asked to share demographic information, such as their housing status. Early data show nearly 75% of participants were experiencing homelessness at the time of their referral, with 45% reporting they were completely unsheltered. Close to 40% of participants said they needed food assistance and 80% said they had recently visited an emergency department. Tuerk House CEO Bernard Gyebi-Foster said that 'every referral, every engagement, every encounter brings people one step closer to meaningful recovery.' 'As we review these early metrics, it's important to remember these aren't just numbers — they represent real people who have been using highly-addictive and potent substances that require intensive withdrawal management,' Gyebi-Foster said. Woman, 54, hit by motorcycle going over 30 mph on Highway 101 Tony Vezina, the executive director with 4-D Recovery, said he knows these programs work based on firsthand experience. 'I'm a person in recovery. I was homeless on the streets of Portland. I was a heroin addict for a while living outside. I went to treatment, sometimes voluntarily on my own, but the last time that I went to treatment, it was through a diversion program which is similar in principles to what we see in deflection,' Vezina said. 'I was offered an opportunity to go to treatment instead of incarceration. I chose treatment, and I've been sober ever since. I'm coming up on 13 years.' The program is expected to expand with more referral partnerships and transportation options for those coming to and from the deflection center. County officials also plan to add 13 sobering beds to the center in spring 2025. So far, the county has approved for the center's development — nearly double what it was expected to cost when the facility was first proposed last year. 'We must remain patient and persistent,' Vega Pederson said. 'The journey to recovery is rarely linear, and our approach must be both flexible and compassionate.' Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
21-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Michigan Senate passes sick time policy ahead of Feb. 21 deadline
The Michigan Senate OK'd the state's sick time policy Thursday night, shortly before the Feb. 21 deadline. The Democratic-controlled legislature voted 26-10 in favor of House Bill 4002, which modifies the Earned Sick Time Act. The bill allows small businesses (10 or fewer employees) to accrue no more than 40 hours of paid sick time and 32 hours of unpaid sick time, while businesses with more than 10 workers can accrue up to 72 hours of paid sick time. It will now make its way to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's desk. "Emergencies and illnesses are a part of life, and our core mission with this legislation is to help Michiganders sleep at night knowing that there is a reasonable amount of cushion for them when the unpredictable happens," Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said in a statement. "This bill is informed by the people of Michigan and negotiated in good faith across bipartisan lines, and in years to come, other states will be modeling their own laws on what we passed today." HB 4002 is tied to the Improved Wage Act that was recently passed by both the Senate and the House. The law allows a minimum hourly wage increase to $12.48 beginning Friday and increases annually to $15 by 2027. The law also sets a 38% increase for tipped workers beginning Friday until it reaches 50% by 2030. Lawmakers had until Feb. 21 to vote on the bills before the original high court order was in effect.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
Portland parent accused of allowing drug use in home that led to teen's fatal overdose in 2023
PORTLAND, Ore. () — A Portland man is accused of allowing teenage drug use in his home which resulted in the overdose death of a 15-year-old girl in 2023. When it happened, the parents of Lauren Dominguez were initially told there was no 'ticket-able' offense. However, with a new district attorney in place, they said they now have hope there will be accountability for Lauren's death. Could PPS school modernization be back on track? 'We got the first half of freshman year of high school, the hardest year as a teen to try to find your people, trying to find your way,' said Tracy Dominguez, Lauren's mother. 'She had such a bright future and it was robbed. But we've got to make some changes, and we're here to do it.' 'Justice is important, culpability is important,' added Marc Dominguez, Lauren's father. 'The through line that can easily be drawn between when we were kids with alcohol in homes… same with these parents who promote gun use in their kids who end up now doing time because they promoted their own child to shoot up a school inadvertently or advertently, these types of parental accountability situations need to be brought to the floor.' Lauren, a Franklin High School Freshman, had died of a fentanyl overdose back in February of 2023. She had been in the home of a 17-year-old boy with whom she was intimate, according to court documents. The parent of that boy and the owner of the home where it happened, Hooman Tony Rahnamoon, is now facing multiple charges after being accused of allowing the two of them to do drugs after seeing it take place and not intervening. He was arraigned in a Multnomah County court on Tuesday afternoon. 'Mr. Rahnamoon knew they were using and observed that on multiple occasions and allow that to happen,' said Multnomah County Sr. Deputy District Attorney JR Ujifusa. Lauren's parents told KOIN 6 News they believe their daughter was caught in a perfect storm between coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of Measure 110, the Oregon law that temporarily removed criminal penalties for people caught with small amounts of hard drugs. That state legislature later re-introduced criminal penalties with HB 4002 last year. Tracy said her daughter was 'welcomed' into Rahnamoon's home in the middle of the night only to be found dead the following day. Rahnamoon, 51, pled not guilty to the three misdemeanor charges but apologized repeatedly to Lauren's parents in court. Tracy and Marc said the last time they saw Rahnamoon was on the morning of Feb. 18, 2023, after they found out Lauren was missing from school. Lauren's sister found out through social media sleuthing that she had snuck out to visit Rahnamoon's son the night before. 'The homeowner comes down the driveway, lets us know that our 15-year-old daughter is upstairs and she's not breathing. She was using drugs with his son, is what he said,' Tracy said. Prosecutors said Lauren and the son had previously met up to use drugs the night before, with Narcan and drug paraphernalia found after her death. Court documents show Rahnamoon later admitted 'about 4-5 days, at most a week, before she passed, he had observed his son' and Lauren using drugs at his home. Return of Thompson Elk Fountain delayed Though cases like these are rare, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said more and more cases like it are starting to crop up around Oregon. 'It's one that we have started to see throughout the state. It's one that this office will look for, at any point in which we can prove that a child has been given these deadly substances. This office is going to be seeking to prosecute those cases and hold those offenders accountable,' Vasquez said. Her friends and family described Lauren as hilarious, a devoted sister and beloved by classmates and neighbors. 'We don't want any child to feel 'a part of' by sneaking out and using until they die,' Marc said. 'We need to hold these homeowners accountable, especially when they have our minors in their home,' Tracy added. The DA's office said they weren't able to determine who provided the drugs that led to Lauren's death but they did rule out Rahnamoon's son, who also appeared in court as his father was arraigned. Rahnamoon is facing one count of frequenting a place where substances are used and two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. Each of the three charges carries a maximum sentence of one year. He is expected to reappear in court on March 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
