Oregon Balance of State HIV/AIDS Housing & Services Systems ...

34 Oregon HIV/AIDS Housing and Services Systems Integration Plan
level, across the 110 offices that DHS operates in 16 service delivery areas across Oregon, in order
for these programs to cooperate effectively.
Oregon counties and municipalities also offer a range of human services and assistance programs,
which vary widely from county to county. The structure of coordination among the local and state
agencies and private or non-profit service providers also varies. The following are three examples of
human services integration efforts across the balance of state:
• Lane County coordinates human service delivery with the cities of Eugene and Springfield,
through the intergovernmental Human Services Commission, the region’s CAP agency,
which also coordinates the region’s HUD Continuum of Care application.
• The Association of Oregon Counties has affiliate organizations for particular types of
administrators involved in health and human services programming, including the Coalition
of County Children and Families Commissions and Oregon Coalition of Local Health
Officials. 74
• In Jackson County, the Rogue Valley Family Center serves as a “one-stop” family resource
center for a collection of services and assistance programs provided by different agencies.
Though this model has been difficult to sustain in Oregon communities, in part because of
declines in county budgets, it is nationally recognized as a best practice for serving lowincome
people who may be involved in a range of different public systems and have limited
access to transportation or ability to keep appointments in multiple locations. The Rogue
Valley facility focuses on families with children, and has staff “mentors” who conduct
intake meetings with each client to help identify and meet the needs of his or her household
as a whole. Staff conduct monthly Program Integration Team meetings, as well as weekly
staffing meetings around particular clients. Some housing assistance is currently available
through onsite staff of a local nonprofit provider.
Employment
Many people living with HIV/AIDS are able and willing to do some kind of income-generating
work, but face barriers related to periods of absence from the workforce, limited education or skills,
or other risk factors. Those with low or no income may need assistance finding, obtaining, and
retaining jobs. In the survey of Oregon stakeholders, nearly two thirds of HIV/AIDS agencies
reported that employment assistance was unavailable or insufficient in their communities. Less than
half of all respondents (both HIV/AIDS agencies and non-HIV/AIDS agencies) partnered with
employment services agencies. Sixty-nine percent of all respondents listed “improve economic selfsufficiency
of people living with HIV/AIDS” as a high priority for systems integration.
Oregon receives federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding to provide an array of services
to job seekers and businesses in offices throughout the state. Most of these offices are called
WorkSource Oregon One Stop Career Centers and are co-located with the Employment Department
and other agency partners. Five of the seven One Stop Career Centers serve the balance of state.
These centers provide anyone who walks in the door with information to help them get a job or
potentially go to school to train in a new career direction. Services may include information
74 The Association of Oregon Counties. Available online: http://www.aocweb.org/aoc/ (Accessed: November 30, 2007).