Many Residents Feel Deschutes County Department Of Health Services, County Commissioners, And Telecare Corporation Are Blurring Lines Between Fact And Fiction

Online, September 5, 2010 (Newswire.com) - A number of residents in two in Central Oregon neighborhoods are voicing strong concern around the insensitive actions of their state and county officials who are placing four five-bed mental health transitional facilities in residential neighborhoods in both Redmond and Bend.

The most concerning aspect for many of these residents is the fact that - due to ORS 197 (See ORS 197, SPECIAL RESIDENCES197.660 Definitions) - county, state and Telecare Corporation (the provider awarded the contract to run the facilities) were under no obligation to notify or involve the neighborhoods in the selection of appropriate locations for their for-profit facilities.

Additionally, these agencies were not required to provide any substantive and/or objective siting criteria that demonstrated the viability of the selected locations for the needs of both their clientele and citizens in the surrounding neighborhoods (See ORS 197, SPECIAL RESIDENCES197.660 Definitions).

Former County Sheriff and local neighbor to one of the facilities, Les Stiles, laments, "It represents the absolute best of reasons why the folks in this country and this county are not happy with government. No communication, no meeting with neighbors to discuss the need and why this home was picked. No solicitation of input and no consideration as to impact on the folks who live here. Again, government at its best and in the manner we have come to expect."

Now, these residents are uncertain who to believe as numerous significant contradictions are being exposed between what officials are telling media outlets and residents as compared to what the official contract on public record states (See Deschutes County Services Contract, Contract No. 2010-001).

Important inconsistencies include widely disparate descriptions of the clientele being served, unsubstantiated claims regarding home valuation by county officials, inaccurate statements by County Commissioners and many additional discrepancies that will appear to impact the neighborhoods greatly.

For example, as nearby neighbor Pete Pierce states, "We've been told by the state and Telecare's Regional Director Kevin McChesney - as has been printed in the Bend Bulletin (See The Bulletin, "Mental health homes irk N.E. Bend," Nick Grube, 8/15/10) - that no "ex-convicts" will be served in these facilities. So it's very surprising to see that the contract spells out clearly that people serviced in these locations will include 'a client on probation, in and out of jail due to a mental illness related infraction'" (See Deschutes County Services Contract, Contract No. 2010-001, specifically Exhibits 1-A, 1-B, 1-D, and 1-E).

"In and out of jail?" Pierce asks. "Is "no ex-convicts" just a matter of semantics then?"

Another nearby neighbor, Dillon Schneider, commented, "I read in the Bend Bulletin (See The Bulletin, "Mental health homes irk N.E. Bend," Nick Grube, 8/15/10) that the individuals being treated in these facilities will be 'screened to make sure they're not dangerous.' So, you can understand why we're confused when throughout the contract there are descriptions of the proposed clients as "posing a danger to the health and safety of themselves or others" (See Deschutes County Services Contract, Contract No. 2010-001, specifically Exhibits 1-A, 1-B, 1-D, and 1-E).

"Posing a danger to others in a non-lockdown facility where the clients are free to come and go through our neighborhoods?" asks Schneider. "Isn't 'danger' dangerous?"

But, the confusion doesn't stop with the inconsistencies in the contract alone. An email to Stephanie Clair from Scott Johnson, Director of Health Services for Deschutes County, stated that the insertion of mental health facilities in an owner-occupied, family neighborhood zoned for residential use would increase valuation to the surrounding residents' properties.

He claims, "Telecare has have (sic) made several improvements that should add value to the properties and the neighborhoods" (Personal email dated 8/22/10, 6:03:45 PM PDT).

"Am I correct in understanding," stated Clair, "that Mr. Johnson is actually suggesting that having a mental health facility in a family neighborhood - less than 1,000 feet to Pilot Butte Middle School with the higher traffic it will generate and increased strain on emergency services - is going to add value to the surrounding properties. Does that make any sense to you?"

A local appraiser who requested his name not be used indicated that this indeed does not make sense. He shares, "It is a rock-solid, absolute rule in appraising that external influences (e.g., the siting of an airport, neighbors with dangerous dogs, the transformation of a neighborhood from residential to commercial use, or the existence of a mental health facility) will impact neighboring housing prices."

Further, when asked by media about the county's involvement in the selection process for the locations of these mental health facilities, County Commissioner Alan Unger stated that he and his fellow Commissioners were "just the middlemen; we were left out of the selection process, too" (See KOHD, "Mental Heath Treatment Center Homes to Open," 8/17/2010).

"It's troubling to hear these kind of comments," points out Mark Leary, a neighbor of the Edgecliff Telecare House, "when you look at the three people who signed the contract on behalf of the County with Telecare. They are our County Commissioners Alan Unger, Tammy Baney, and Dennis Luke" (See signature page of Deschutes County Services Contract, Contract No. 2010-001).

"If our County Commissioners actually wanted to be involved in the selection process of the locations for these facilities or cared how they impacted the neighborhoods," ponders Leary, "don't you think they would've included that as a required stipulation in the contract rather than claiming they were left out of the process?"

In response to the actions of county and state officials, a number of residents throughout Deschutes County and the state are joining together to hold their elected, appointed and government officials and agencies accountable.

"Our goal," Leary states, "is to make substantial process-based changes to the state statute that allows for this sort of unconscionable treatment of residents by our officials."

"We want to work together with the appropriate agencies," Leary continues, "to guarantee that those with mental illness will have the optimal opportunities for the best treatment and transition back into society. Because, as of now, when there are no meaningful criteria for site selection that also take into consideration the existing neighbors, how can we even begin to hope for positive outcomes for everybody?"