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Friends and Neighbors,

I hope you had a safe holiday and found time to spend with your family at home or virtually. I decided to be silly while home cooking and made a tik tok video. If you need a good laugh watch here:
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World Aids Day

December 1st marked World AIDS Day. This day is an opportunity for people to unite in the fight against HIV transmission, to show support for people living with HIV and to remember and honor those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. .

When HIV first swept across the country in the 1980s, it was one of the most sobering public health challenges ever faced. It brought a cruel and isolating stigma toward gay men, who died in startling numbers, and it went on to kill 33 million people across the world.
Times have changed. Now, most people don’t die from the virus. Thanks to continuing medical advances in medications, HIV can now be seen as a chronic disease. People who have it can enjoy long careers, get married, and raise families. Today I reflected both on the remarkable progress that has been made against HIV as well as the challenges that remain.

As a nursing student in the early 90’s in Boston, I would head out in a van with a medical team and park in front of nightclubs. We offered HIV testing, which at that time was a blood draw and a weeklong wait for results. I’ll never forget the first time giving the diagnosis of positive HIV. As my professional life progressed over the years, so too did testing, which allowed for rapid HIV testing of my patients during routine physical exams. We now have highly effective HIV treatment and prevention methods. Looking forward, the Oregon legislature has an opportunity to improve access to HIV medications -- especially in rural areas -- by allowing Oregon pharmacists to prescribe both pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, better known as PrEP and PEP, respectively, to HIV-negative individuals. Representative Doherty championed this in the 2020 session, and with her retirement, several of us will prioritize it in 2021.

Our experience with HIV can help with COVID-19. In both cases, prevention and testing are key. If we know who is infected, we can take care of them and they will be less likely to infect others. For those who are uninfected, we can provide them with prevention measures. Let us find wisdom in the path that so many before us forged.

New COVID-19 Risk Levels


Our knowledge about how best to contain the spread of COVID-19 and explain these protections to the public has evolved since the start of the pandemic. If you recall, early on, each county was categorized by their phase of reopening (how much economic activity would be safe to restart).

Given the continued seriousness of this pandemic, last week Governor Brown announced a new health and safety framework with four different risk levels for counties based on their level of COVID-19 spread. It’s a clearer way of explaining how the risk of infection should dictate the level of social interaction and business activity in each community.

Guidance for each activity based on risk level is availablehere ([link removed]) . With the ending of the Two-Week Freeze tomorrow, the new risk levels go into effect this Thursday, December 3.

Here is the latest breakdown of counties by risk level:
* Lower Risk (4): Gilliam, Sherman, Wallowa and Wheeler
* Moderate Risk (2): Harney and Tillamook
* High Risk (5): Benton, Clatsop, Coos, Curry and Lincoln
* Extreme Risk (25): Baker, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Douglas, Grant, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Umatilla, Union, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill

Risk Level Map 12-1-2020

Disease Activity

In counties identified as Extreme Risk, the following activities will be allowed, with health and safety protocols in place:

* Social and at-home gatherings with people from outside your household are limited to a maximum of six people, with a recommended limit of two households.
* Restaurants, bars, and other eating and drinking establishments are limited to a maximum of 50 people for outdoor dining only, with only six people per table. Take-out is strongly encouraged and no indoor dining is allowed.
* Outdoor recreation, fitness, and entertainment activities, including outdoor gym activities, are allowed, with a maximum limit of 50 people outdoors. Indoor recreation, fitness, and entertainment establishments, including gyms, will remain closed.
* Retail stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, and indoor and outdoor shopping centers and malls limited to a maximum of 50% of capacity, with curbside pick-up encouraged.
* Faith institutions, funeral homes, mortuaries, and cemeteries limited to a maximum of 25% of capacity or 100 people indoors (whichever is smaller), or 150 people outdoors.
* Office workplaces are required to utilize remote work to the maximum extent possible, with public-facing offices closed to the public.
* Personal services businesses are allowed to continue to operate with health and safety measures in place.
* Long-term care facilities can allow limited outdoor visitation, following established health and safety protocols, but no indoor visitation permitted.

Oregon counties that are successful in reducing their COVID-19 risk levels in the coming weeks and months will be able to move to lower risk levels.

Kids Back to School

As case counts rise in Oregon, I am thinking about the kids learning through comprehensive distance learning and hoping they’ll be back in classrooms with their friends soon. While the numbers are concerning the good news is that our metrics for school reopening have not changed. Reducing COVID numbers continues to be essential to getting our students back in the classroom and that is where my focus remains. You can view the metrics that determine returning to in-person instruction here ([link removed]) or here ([link removed]) and learn more about ODE’s ‘Ready Schools, Safe Learners’ here ([link removed]) .

State Budget

In Oregon, we have a two year budget cycle that begins in July of odd numbered years. The budget process starts with the Governor’s recommended budget, which outlines her policy and spending priorities, and the Tax Expenditure Report, which outlines the various tax credits and deductions that are available to Oregonians.

These reports are submitted to the Legislature for us to review and use to inform our budget process. The Ways and Means Committee is divided into subcommittees that hold hearings and meetings to get input from the public and agencies about budget proposals. We will pass a collection of budget bills that fund different state agencies and programs, and these bills make up the final budget for agencies to implement. If you’d like to learn more about the budgeting process, you can do so here ([link removed]) .

Yesterday, Governor Brown released her Recommended Budget and Policy Agenda for 2021-2023 ([link removed]) , and the Department of Revenue released their Tax Expenditure Report ([link removed]) .

Highlights from the Governor’s budget are included in this press release ([link removed]) and this OPB article ([link removed]) .

The Governor’s main budget and policy areas include:
* Ensuring all Oregonians’ basic needs are met. After a year in which Oregon families have had their daily lives upended, this budget prioritizes ensuring Oregonians have their most basic needs met: a warm, safe, dry, affordable, and accessible place to call home, access to health care, child care for working parents, K-12 schools, and COVID-19 relief resources.
+ Housing and Homelessness. The Governor’s budget invests in housing and homelessness at $65.9 million over the 2019-21 investment levels, and calls on Congress for $350 million in rent assistance. The Governor’s budget also includes $20 million in homeowner assistance, and $250 million in affordable housing development funds.
+ COVID-19 pandemic response. In addition to applying federal funds towards pandemic response, the Governor’s budget invests $30 million in public health modernization to better prepare Oregon’s public health system to respond to events like the current pandemic. Other pandemic-related investments are included throughout the budget.
+ Long-term care. The Governor’s budget includes $17.9 million in investments in a range of strategies to protect seniors living in assisted living and nursing homes from COVID-19.
+ Health care. The Governor’s budget also addresses the challenge of adequately, sustainably, and equitably funding our health care system during a once-in-a-century public health emergency. Largely due to the pandemic, Oregon faces a $718 million budget gap for the Oregon Health Plan––coverage which provides an essential bridge to reducing health disparities by improving access to care and protecting low-income families from financial ruin. In addition, Coronavirus Relief Funds that have been used to fund COVID-19 response efforts will expire on December 31. The Governor’s budget helps close that gap through cost savings and an expected extension of enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding.
+ Behavioral health. The Governor’s budget also makes investments in behavioral health and substance use disorder resources, informed by the recommendations from the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission (ADPC) Strategic Plan, the Tribal Behavioral Health Strategic Plan, the Governor’s Behavioral Health Advisory Council, and the Racial Justice Council.
* Creating a future we can be proud of: Equity in education and our environment. Building a stronger Oregon requires dismantling the structures of racism in our government systems and programs, and creating an inclusive state that works for everyone.
+ K-12 education. After a year in which historic disparities in education have been exacerbated by a pandemic and wildfires, the Governor’s budget keeps Oregon’s commitments made to Black, Indigenous, Latino, Latina, and Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal and students of color by fully funding Student Success Act programs and initiatives, as well as grants to schools under the High School Graduation and College and Career Readiness Fund, and funding the State School Fund at $9.1 billion. The Governor’s budget stabilizes education funding by drawing $215 million from the Education Stability Fund for public schools.
+ Broadband expansion. An investment of $118 million in broadband expansion statewide will connect an additional 50 urban and rural communities that currently lack access. During a pandemic that has necessitated both distance learning for students and remote work for workers, equitable broadband access is critical for educational outcomes and economic opportunity.
+ Early learning and child care. Recognizing that the first years of a child’s life are critical to lifelong success, the Governor’s budget expands high-quality early care and education programs for 8,000 children through Oregon Pre-K, Early Head Start, Preschool Promise, and the Early Childhood Equity Fund.
+ Environmental Justice. To address the disproportionate impact of climate change, wildfires, water quality and access, on Black, Indigenous, Latino, Latina, and Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, and Tribal community members, the Governor’s budget invests in the creation of an Office of Environmental Justice, greenhouse gas reduction programs, and equitable water access, and wildfire preparedness, response, and prevention.
* Supporting small businesses and workers: COVID-19 and wildfire relief and recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating financial impact on many Oregon businesses and working families. Through no fault of their own, Oregonians have lost jobs, closed businesses, laid off employees, and found themselves struggling to pay rent and make ends meet. Communities impacted by wildfire likewise need support to recover from the devastation of the 2020 fire season.
+ Worker relief and workplace protection. A key priority of the Governor’s budget and policy agenda is to secure additional coronavirus relief funds from Congress, as current federal relief funds are set to expire on December 31. The Governor’s budget also seeks to maintain funding for the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, Oregon Worker Quarantine Fund, and the COVID-19 temporary paid leave program, to continue to support Oregon workers during this pandemic, regardless of immigration status. The Governor’s budget maintains funding for the Oregon Employment Department to ensure Oregon workers are paid the benefits they are owed, as well as for Oregon OSHA, to ensure workplace protections continue to be enforced. The Governor’s Budget includes $146.4 million to fully modernize the Employment Department’s benefit delivery system and also to implement Paid Family Leave Insurance benefits for Oregon workers.
+ Wildfire recovery and preparedness. The Governor’s budget dedicates $189.5 million to rebuild communities impacted by the fires. The Governor’s Wildfire Economic Recovery Council will also have access to an additional $170 million of community development resources. Funds will support debris cleanup, tree removal, sheltering and housing, food assistance, and community infrastructure This includes $30 million in investments in the Oregon Department of Forestry, and setting aside $40 million to address recommendations from the Governor’s Council on Wildfire Response. It provides an additional $47 million in grants and loans for wildfire recovery. In addition, the budget invests $73.7 million in fire preparedness, response, and prevention resources.
* Reforming the criminal justice system. While Oregon has taken strides to reform the criminal justice system in the past decade, the events of 2020––such as disruptions and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as community calls for racial justice––have magnified the urgency of the need for reform. Widespread racial disparities exist throughout Oregon’s criminal justice system. Black people represent 2.2 percent of Oregon’s population but 9.3 percent of the state’s prison population. The Governor’s budget advances Oregon reform efforts on many fronts, from expanding police accountability measures to reforming our courts and stabilizing the Department of Corrections budget going forward.
* Improving systems to improve outcomes. The challenges of 2020 have also shown the need to strengthen the core functions of our democracy. The Governor’s budget and policy agenda make investments in core systems, continue to expand voting access and institutionalize the Racial Justice Council and its focus on racial justice.

A copy of the Governor's full remarks from her press conference is available here ([link removed]) and a recording of the press conference live stream is available here ([link removed]) .

Please email me (mailto:[email protected]) if you have specific concerns. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

Covid-19 Resources:
Oregon Information and Resources ([link removed])
Oregon Health Authority Updates ([link removed])
Federal Government Response ([link removed])
Senator Merkley’s Response Page ([link removed])
SEIU Worker Resource Page ([link removed])
Oregon Unemployment ([link removed])

Thank you for reading and stay safe.

Sincerely,
Rachel Prusak

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