Dear Street Roots supporters,
I am so happy to share with all of you that a pilot version of the Portland Street Response was approved by Portland city council this afternoon! From the moment Street Roots presented the plan in our March 15 issue, we’ve been committed to seeing this happen. Street Roots vendors have been involved the entire campaign: speaking at a budget forum, surveying other unhoused people, and even judging the Portland Street Response logo contest.
Today was a very big day. After more than a century, Portland is making a significant change to our first responder system. Portland Street Response is proposed as a third branch of our city’s first responder system, joining fire and police.
The pilot team will be composed of a medic and a crisis worker, dispatched by 911 in the Lents Neighborhood beginning this spring, and over the course of about the year, the city can refine the plan.
This video, presented to council today, gives an overview of Portland Street Response.
Thank you, everyone, for endorsing (there’s still time to add your name; we’ll soon be gearing up to campaign for the full-fledged Portland Street Response program to be implemented, big enough, and nimble enough, to really help unhoused people in crisis).
And if you would like to contribute to our ongoing efforts, that bolsters our ongoing advocacy to better the lives of people who are unhoused, such as our work on the Portland Street Response.
Today we celebrate. Tomorrow, onward we go … together!
Kaia Sand
Executive Director, Street Roots
More information:
- Portland Mercury: City Council Unanimously Approves Street Response Pilot Program
- Street Roots: With Portland Street Response, city is piloting for success and fewer obstacles
- KPTV: City Council approves Portland Street Response pilot program
- PSR Pilot Program Recommendations, the full report downloaded from the city’s website (29MB PDF).
Pictures from the Council meeting:
How much is Central City Concern going to be involved? Seems like they have some experience, but may not have certification. I know there has been a lot of burnout with the staff. Will the city help to reopen Detox Center with more mental health and social workers.