Mental Load THERE IS NO ESCAPING THE EFFECTS of Oregon’s behavioral health crisis. I personally would argue that the crisis has been brewing for decades — dating back at least to efforts to deinstitutionalize people with severe mental illness in the 1970s and 1980s. That was the appropriate and humane response to revelations — in both nonfiction writing and in Oregon author Ken Kesey’s landmark work One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest — that patients in traditional institutions were treated horrifically, and that most did not require lengthy, involuntary periods of isolation to recover. But collectively, we failed to make a plan to ensure severely ill people would be appropriately housed and cared for. In the decades since, other failures have compounded the crisis, including an ongoing shortage of affordable housing, an uptick in the use of drugs like fentanyl and cheaper, more potent forms of methamphetamine — and a shortage of providers. Some of those problems are more difficult to tackle than others. For “The Life of the Mind” (p. 28), writer Sander Gusinow wrote about a multimillion-dollar state funding package meant to help address the shortage of behavioral health providers. The Oregon Health Authority is sending tens of millions of dollars to educational institutions around the state to help train the next generation of providers, and has also earmarked funds to help employers recruit and retain great providers. As the story notes, some experts say this package is just the beginning of what it will take to address the shortage — but the help is needed. For “Building the Future” (p. 34), Amy Milshtein looked at a series of programs around the state that aim to do two things: The first is to train high school students in job skills they can use right after graduation. The second is to help ease the housing crisis by increasing the number of quality workers in yet another industry — construction — facing ongoing labor shortages, which in turn is one of the drivers of the affordable-housing crisis. The coolest part? Students in these programs get to build real homes in their communities for class credit. It’s a model that’s gotten more attention from the state, which has earmarked more funding for career and technical education across the board. For “Book to the Future” (p. 22), I set out to write about the recent changes to Multnomah County’s Central Library. That story ended up being about how changes in technology have affected how libraries serve the public, and how library systems in Multnomah County and elsewhere have adapted. In some cases, the changes are minor and somewhat intuitive — there are more outlets at Multnomah County now, making it easier for patrons to charge their devices. Some were surprising and more complex, like the way copyright issues around e-books are affecting libraries. And then there’s the fact that libraries have increasingly become frontline social services providers — in Multnomah County’s case, partnering with organizations to have trained social workers on staff. As we put this issue together, our small staff underwent a big change. Longtime staff writer Sander Gusinow left the magazine to pursue other creative endeavors, and Garrett Andrews — a seasoned reporter who’s covered business and other beats around the state of Oregon — joined the team. It’s an exciting time to be covering business in Oregon, and we look forward to bringing you more stories about the changes and challenges we collectively face. ⁄From the Editor⁄ EDITORIAL EDITOR Christen McCurdy christenm@oregonbusiness.com ART DIRECTOR Joan McGuire joanm@oregonbusiness.com STAFF WRITER Garrett Andrews garretta@oregonbusiness.com STAFF WRITER Sander Gusinow STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jason E. Kaplan jasonk@oregonbusiness.com COPY EDITOR Morgan Stone CONTRIBUTING WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER Jake Cornett, Amy Milshtein, Shannon Theall PUBLISHING PUBLISHER Courtney Kutzman courtneyk@oregonbusiness.com EVENTS MANAGER Craig Peebles craigp@oregonbusiness.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Evan Morehouse evanm@mediamerica.net ADVERTISING AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Greta Hogenstad gretah@mediamerica.net DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Alison Kattleman alisonk@mediamerica.net PRESIDENT AND CEO Andrew A. Insinga CONTROLLER Bill Lee BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN André W. Iseli PRESIDENT Andrew A. Insinga SECRETARY William L. Mainwaring TREASURER Win McCormack VOLUME 47 ⁄ NUMBER 4 OREGON BUSINESS (ISSN 02798190) is published 8 times per year, monthly except Mar/Apr, Jul/Aug and Oct/Nov/Dec issues, by MEDIAmerica Inc. at 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223. Subscription inquiries should be directed to 503-445-8811. Subscription charge is $24.95 per year, $49.95 for two years in the USA. Single copies and back issues available at above address and at selected newsstands. The editor is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Copyright © 2024 by MEDIAmerica Inc. All rights reserved. All material is protected by copyright and must not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Printed in Oregon. Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Oregon Business, 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223 6
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