After an across-the-board cuts order by Gov. Ted Kulongoski this summer that would have effectively dismantled Oregon’s treasured and cost-effective system of long-term care, Oregon and national media put an important spotlight on this issue and examined the impacts cuts would have.
Thankfully, the legislature’s Emergency Board voted unanimously to restore these cuts, realizing the tremendous human and economic impacts at stake and that there was a better way to balance Oregon’s budget. Because of this action:
- Thousands of our most vulnerable citizens will maintain access to essential services that help allow them to say in their home or communities.
- Thousands of care providers will be able to keep their income, health coverage and jobs.
- More than $34 million of federal matching funds will be able to stay at work right here in Oregon, accross our communities and economy.
Unfortunately, we’re not out of the woods yet. Services were only restored through the end of February next year. Much hard work remains and tough choices lie ahead as economic challenges face our state both in the short and long-term.
Now, more than ever, we all need to come together as Oregonians to find a better way to preserve essential services key to our collective quality of life and our economic future.
Human-services advocates make their case; Building bridges brings in jobs, they say, but so does building lives.