In February 2017, Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) released a report based on monitoring visits initiated in early 2016, which looked at conditions of confinement for individuals with mental health challenges at the Multnomah County Detention Center.
DRO has released a follow up report, and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) appreciates their acknowledgement of the progress that our agency has made one year later.
MCSO strives to be a model of rehabilitative services for those entrusted to custody. Sheriff Michael Reese said the agency’s professional work force is dedicated to service delivery improvements for our community’s most vulnerable populations. “Corrections deputies engage with people in crisis every day. We increased staffing at the Training Unit in order to train corrections deputies in de-escalation, crisis management, and a nationally-recognized Mental Health First Aid curriculum. While common in law enforcement training, I believe these are core competencies for corrections professionals as well.”
Chair Deborah Kafoury said she appreciates DRO’s commitment to improving conditions in the jail for people experiencing behavioral health challenges. “The DRO report highlighted serious concerns and we responded with investments in last year’s budget to improve the quality of care provided by Corrections Health. I’m pleased the Sheriff was a willing partner, hearing DRO's concerns and working with us to provide better care for very vulnerable people.”
The full 2018 DRO report and MCSO’s response is available for viewing at www.mcso.us/site/agency
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Sheriff Reese will be available today (May 10, 2018) for comments at the Multnomah County Detention Center, located at 1120 SW 3rd Ave. in Portland, from 1:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m..
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