Low usage of Oregon’s drug hotline highlights inefficiency

Oregon is continuing to invest $130,000 each month into an out-of-state nonprofit to manage a hotline that remains largely underutilized.

Established under Measure 110, Oregon’s drug decriminalization law, the hotline has received just 73 calls from individuals cited under the measure so far this year. This equates to approximately $10,700 per call, according to recent figures from the Oregon Health Authority.

Passed by voters in 2020, Measure 110 aimed to provide a pathway to substance use assessments and treatment for those cited for minor drug possession. However, the hotline has largely failed to fulfill this promise and now stands as a testament to the shortcomings of Oregon’s brief experiment with drug decriminalization.

The Oregon Health Authority contracted with the Boston-based nonprofit Health Resources in Action to run the hotline, agreeing to pay a total of $2.7 million over 18 months. This sum covers startup costs and ongoing monthly payments of $130,000.

Recent quarterly reports from Health Resources in Action indicate a declining volume of calls. In the first quarter of the year, there were 49 calls, which dropped to 24 between April and June.

Of the 563 calls received since the nonprofit took over, most were general inquiries rather than calls from those cited for drug possession. The hotline’s functionality has been overshadowed by more direct treatment options. For comparison, $130,000 could fund detox services for approximately 45 individuals, cover residential treatment for seven people for 60 days, or provide a year’s supply of buprenorphine for 18 individuals.

Under Measure 110, individuals cited for drug possession could choose between paying a $100 fine or calling the hotline for a substance use screening to avoid the citation. However, the expected surge in hotline use never materialized, with both police and the public showing limited engagement.

The nonprofit has launched a website promoting the hotline under the “M110 Oregon Hopeline” brand, with a promise of forthcoming rebranding and service enhancements.

Chris Bouneff, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, criticized the hotline’s performance, suggesting it failed to deliver as intended. “It hasn’t worked, and someone should recognize this as a failure,” Bouneff remarked.

With the passage of House Bill 4002, minor drug possession is now a misdemeanor. The new legislation encourages counties to develop alternative programs to connect individuals with treatment, but it does not address the future of the hotline.

The Oregon Health Authority has the option to terminate its contract with the nonprofit. Spokesperson Amber Shoebridge defended the decision to outsource, citing the state’s inability to provide the required round-the-clock service with trained recovery peers.

State Sen. Kate Lieber, who helped draft House Bill 4002, stated that the future of the hotline should be addressed by the Legislature next year. “We need to ensure that funding is directed towards effective programs,” Lieber said.