‘Explosion’ of Oregon fentanyl use one of many challenges found in Measure 110 audit

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An audit of Measure 110 has revealed that while progress is being made in the effort to revamp Oregon’s substance abuse treatment strategy, there are still some significant challenges to overcome, including skyrocketing fentanyl use plaguing the state in recent years. 

On Wednesday, the Oregon Audits Division released its audit of Measure 110, the ballot measure passed by voters in 2020 to decriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs and provide more funding for treatment. 

Since Measure 110 passed, the state has continued to struggle with a drug use epidemic, partially fueled by “an explosion in fentanyl use,” according to the audit. As an example, the number of fentanyl pills confiscated in Oregon and Idaho’s high-intensity drug trafficking areas in 2022 was over 3 million, dwarfing the mere 690 pills seized in 2018.

On the plus side, the audit revealed the Behaviorial Health Resource Networks, which was implemented in July 2022, has made some headway in terms of helping to expand community-based treatment, harm reduction services and housing for people at all stages of the treatment and recovery cyle. 

However, service providers have struggled to keep pace with spending available grant money for its intended purpose due to difficulty hiring the proper staff and other challenges. This means some of the providers are not delivering all of the required services.

“Since it’s been implemented, the top question on everyone’s minds has been: Is Measure 110 working?” said Audits Director Kip Memmott. “It’s a complicated question to answer and much of the public conversation about Measure 110 is outside the scope of this review. We identified important progress being made, but it’s clear there is still much work to be done. We’ll be conducting another audit of Measure 110 where we plan to more directly assess program efficacy.” 

One key part of Measure 110 was that culturally specific service providers were supposed to be funded by the more than $260 million in state-approved grant money that has been made available so far. However, the audit revealed it’s unclear how many of those culturally specific providers were actually funded. The auditors found the grant process needs improvement in that regard.

Oregon Secrety of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said the information of the audit “will help the Oregon Healthy Authority put the right structures in place to administer the treatment side of Measure 110” and encouraged state leaders and OHA to “follow the auditor’s recommendations.”

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“There has been a lot of interest around Measure 110, and I have no doubt that many will want to look to this audit as a measuring stick for the law. That would be a mistake, as this report is narrowly focused on answering questions about the OHA’s grant making program. Within that scope, it’s a valuable tool.” 

The audit of Measure 110 can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.