| Remarks by Governor Kulongoski |
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| December 19, 2006 |
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Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs
~Award Ceremony~
Thank you, Ann, for that kind introduction.
And thank you all for being here today to honor some amazing individuals and coalitions for their dedication to the health and well-being of our citizens – and our Oregon.
I want to recognize – Senator Rick Metzger, and Representative Caroline Tomei – who I look forward to working with this coming session.
I also want to acknowledge the legislators who serve on the Council, Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson and Representative Billy Dalto – who worked over the last months on the Council’s priority issues.
I also want to recognize the Governor’s Council Members who are here today – if they could stand up for a moment (applause) –
These individuals are private citizens with busy lives who volunteer each month to improve and enhance the availability and accessibility of alcohol and drug prevention, early intervention and treatment in Oregon.
Not an easy job these last several biennia!
The charges in Oregon law to the Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug abuse are many. Under the leadership of Ann Uhler and Steph Soars-Pump, I know you all take those statutory responsibilities very seriously, and I want to thank you for that.
Most recently, you completed a report – “The Domino Effect” – assessing the economic and social impact of alcohol and drug abuse on Oregon.
Like the effect you describe in the report, the report itself is making waves – and through it, you are making an impact on Oregon’s alcohol and drug policy-making.
I’ll talk in a moment about some of that impact that shows up in my proposed budget for the 2007-09 biennium.
But first, I want to tell you that I share your vision of a society in which chemical dependency is recognized as a chronic disease that is both preventable and treatable. I know it’s slow-going, but I think we here in Oregon are making some progress in that regard.
Last fall I had the opportunity to participate in the “Hands Across the Bridge” event up in Portland. If you haven’t had a chance to attend that event, I’d encourage each and every one of you to do so – you will be inspired!
Every year hundreds of people from Oregon and Washington come together and join hands across our state lines to celebrate the courage it takes to fight addiction and the freedom and hope that come with recovery.
When I attended that event, I had the privilege of meeting many individuals who are living proof that recovery saves lives . . . preserves families . . . and transforms communities.
(pause)
We know just the opposite is true when it comes to addiction.
Every year, substance abuse and addiction contribute to the death of more than 120,000 Americans and cost taxpayers nearly $300 billion in preventable health care, law enforcement, crime, and other costs.
Those facts and figures don’t even come close to describing the toll that addiction has on people’s lives and the lives of those around them – like children.
Here in Oregon, in 2005, more than 11,250 children were victims of abuse or neglect. In nearly 48 percent of cases where abuse or neglect occurred, alcohol or drugs, including methamphetamine, were the single biggest problem in the family.
And for more than 62 percent of Oregon’s foster children, “parent drug abuse” was the cause of the child being removed from their home.
Although those statistics may seem daunting, we know what to do to reverse those trends: invest in more substance abuse prevention and treatment.
That’s why my budget invests in targeted addiction treatment and intervention services for children and families who are at risk, or already in the child welfare system due to addiction problems.
Those investments will keep children at home when it’s safe for them to be there – keeping kids safe and families strong.
My budget also invests more to prevent our children and youth from becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol in the first place.
As many of you know, underage drinking in Oregon is on the rise. Oregon’s kids are younger when they start drinking, more of them are drinking, and many of them are binge drinking - more than ever before.
In 2006, the rate of eighth-graders – eighth graders – who reported to the state that they had consumed alcohol in the last 30 days was nearly 32 percent, the highest since 1997 when it was 35.5 percent. And the rate among eighth-grade girls was nearly 34 percent this year, the highest since 1997 when it was 36.6 percent.
Even more shocking is that beer is no longer the drink of choice among Oregon’s teens. Both eighth graders and eleventh graders tell us that choosing hard alcohol over beer and flavored alcoholic beverages.
Ironically, Oregon does not currently dedicate any revenue from the sale of hard alcohol to addiction treatment or prevention.
That’s why my budget dedicates two percent of Oregon’s total gross liquor revenues – more than $17 million – to expand Oregon’s addiction treatment capacity and to support a “youth substance abuse prevention initiative” that will provide new tools for communities to take action in the fight against underage drinking and drug abuse.
I know $17 million is only a drop in the bucket compared to the resources lost to Oregon’s substance abuse prevention and treatment system over the last four years – but I believe those dollars go a long way to getting us back on track.
And I know with the help of individuals across Oregon like those gathered here today, we can make these changes in the upcoming legislative session to make Oregon a better place to live.
Countless individuals are already helping improve the health of our families and communities through their hard work and dedication. I hope that during this holiday season each of us can take inspiration from their commitment to look for ways to prevent alcohol and drug abuse in our own communities.
I’m reminded of a story I heard last week at the Government-to-Government Summit Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes hosted with the State down in Canyonville.
Apparently, the ancestors of the Coquille had a tradition when an individual had overcome a difficult life-challenge, like addiction: They would host a ceremony at which the individual would receive a new name – symbolizing the fact that he or she had been given a clean slate - a new beginning.
Wouldn’t it be great if our society would honor the recovery of our family, friends and neighbors by giving them a fresh start?
Next session, we have the opportunity for a fresh start here in Oregon. We have the opportunity to move Oregon in a new direction when it comes to alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment.
I hope you all will join me in that effort.
And again, I thank you all for joining me as we recognize the outstanding achievement of today’s award recipients. Unfortunately, I’m not able to stay for the entirety of today’s presentations, but I am honored to join Ann in presenting the first award of the day – the Thomas R. Dargan award.
Ann…
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