Santiam Hospital announced July 26 that contracts have been signed with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and with St. Vincent DePaul USA Disaster Services to continue and expand services for Santiam Canyon residents affected by the September 2020 wildfires.
The contracts will direct funds from the ODHS General Fund and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Santiam Service Integration Disaster Management Program, a program established by Santiam Hospital to manage ongoing wildfire recovery in the Santiam Canyon.
Since September 2020, Santiam Hospital’s Service Integration Team (SIT) has led disaster relief in the Santiam Canyon. SIT disaster case managers have assisted wildfire affected households with recovery needs, including FEMA applications and appeals, navigating insurance claims, and connecting with agencies and volunteers for property clean up and other services.
The finalization of the state contract provides for the continuation and expansion of services for wildfire survivors. The bulk of the funds will be used to hire additional disaster case managers.
“We are thrilled to be able to add staff,” Melissa Baurer, Santiam Service Integration Disaster Services and Community Engagement Director said. “Our disaster case managers have been working at a high level for ten months. They are managing upwards of three times the number of cases a typical disaster case manager would handle and suffering compassion fatigue.
“We have 166 households pending assignment to a disaster case manager. We are excited to be able to add fresh team members to help get them on the road to recovery.”
With the State of Oregon contract, up to four additional DCMs could be hired, bringing the total to seven. In addition, two support staff will be hired to assist with walk-in clients, phone calls and scheduling appointments. A mental health counselor will be contracted for home visits to wildfire survivors. An administrative assistant will be hired to support the program director of operations and the disaster services and community engagement director, whose salaries will also be covered through the funding.
The St. Vincent De Paul USA Disaster Services contract will cover the salary of one case manager already on staff, an additional case manager, a percentage of salaries for other positions, and costs associated with office space, supplies, and technical and administrative support.
“Since the fall, Santiam Hospital has invested heavily in staffing the relief effort,” Maggie Hudson, Santiam Hospital President and CEO said. “We have been privileged to play such a critical role. I’m incredibly proud of our SIT staff and community volunteers who have stepped up to help. I’m also grateful for the support of community donors, partners like Marion-Polk Food Share, and funders like the United Way and Oregon Community Foundation. We couldn’t have done it without their support. With the State contract finalized, we can continue this important work and expand our services to help even more people.”
In turn, with the funds now available to directly support disaster relief, the hospital’s SIT staff will be able to focus on the wider needs of Santiam Canyon residents.
“One of the reasons we were able to pivot so effectively to disaster relief was because of the success of SIT,” Baurer explained. “SIT provides everyday safety-net services in the Canyon. It’s important that we continue these efforts, so we can serve those in need now and prepare for the future needs in our community.”
The contracts supporting wildfire relief are in place through the end of 2022, with a possibility of extension if survivors are not back to pre-fire status.
“The road to long-term recovery is a marathon, not a sprint,” Hudson said. “Santiam Hospital will be here every step of the way.”
The hospital has been at the forefront of recovery efforts in the Canyon. In the immediate aftermath of the fires, the SIT team pivoted to provide disaster relief to wildfire affected individuals and families.
Utilizing SIT’s established network of partners, the group opened two resource centers in the Canyon where displaced residents could access donated emergency supplies including food, clothing, toiletries, fuel cards, pet and livestock feed. SIT also established the Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund (SCWRF) to raise funds to support residents of the Santiam Canyon.
More than $3 million has been raised to date with a goal of $5 million. Funds have been distributed for immediate relief, recovery and clean up, and to assist with rebuilding efforts. By leveraging partnerships with agencies such as United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley and Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency SCWRF has served more nearly 1,200 fire-affected households.
In November 2020, at the request of Marion County and the State of Oregon, SIT led the establishment of the Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Team. MASST includes representatives from an array of agencies, including the Red Cross, FEMA, Marion County, and the State of Oregon to act as a hub for coordinating government and social service agencies providing resources to wildfire survivors.
In spring 2021, the Marion-Polk Medical Society awarded Santiam Hospital its 2021 President’s Award, specifically highlighting SIT’s wildfire relief efforts in partnership with the Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund.
