September 26, 2022 3:20 a.m.

On Friday, the Joint Legislative Emergency Board approved funding for statewide needs, including a hospital bed shortage, food insecurity, natural disasters and other issues facing Oregon communities.

Senate President Peter Courtney said, “Your Emergency Board Works Hard”. Courtney said, “The actions we took today will help our communities with some of their most urgent needs. Hospitals will be able to open more beds. We’ll send food out to fight hunger all across the state”. Courtney said the support will help communities as they recover from natural disasters and help them with their wells. He said, “The legislature will be there for Oregon and her people”.

House Speaker Dan Rayfield said it is absolutely neccessary that the Emergency Board serves all corners of the state. Rayfield said, “We have done that today by approving support for health care workers who continue to treat patients in crisis conditions, rural communities that have been devastated by natural disasters Oregonians struggling with food and housing insecurities and much more”.

A joint release from both leaders said in response to the ongoing health care capacity crisis, the Emergency Board approved $35.4 million in funds to address the shortage of available beds in hospitals and long-term care facilities. That included $21.8 million for contracts with nurse staffing agencies to support short-term staffing needs of hospitals and long-term care facilities. Funds went to a number of other programs as well.

The Emergency Board also approved:

*$5 million for the Oregon Food Bank to purchase food

*$5 million to address dry domestic and community wells in Klamath County

Several other grants will help with riverbank stabilization, recovery from severe storm damage, addressing water quality issues and more.