Director's Message

June 17, 2005

To: DHS employees

From: Bryan Johnston, Interim DHS Director

"Silent Cal," the 30th president of the United States, is reported to have said, "If you don't say anything, you won't be called on to explain it." I understand the wisdom that motivates that position, but as with most maxims, there is another side. Adopting a philosophy like this can lead to fear of action, even to paralysis.

I mention all of this as cover for a gaffe I may have made in my last message. I read all of the responses to my message and welcome your input. One of you was kind enough to point out that the concept of "greeter" is also in use in at least one other SDA. I implied that it was unique to Salem. Oops. Sorry. At the same time, I'm glad to hear it's in more than one office. I think it's a great idea and I hope it gets applied in situations where we think it's appropriate and the resources allow it.

In this message, I'd like to address two topics:

• Medical Marijuana &
• the Director's Search

On the Medical Marijuana front:

Oregon took quick action last week as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling specifying that people who use marijuana because their doctors recommend it to ease pain could be prosecuted for violating federal drug laws. More than 10,000 Oregonians participate in Oregon's medical marijuana program, managed by the Public Health section of DHS.

Upon the advice of our attorneys, we stopped issuing medical marijuana cards the day the ruling was announced. The state continues to accept and process applications but will refund fees if the program is ended. Participants have the full protections of the Oregon law upon submitting their application to the program, so we are not disadvantaging them by suspending the issuance of permits.

Oregon is one of less than a dozen states that allow patients to obtain prescriptions for marijuana to ease pain. Oregon voters approved the law in 1998. Oregon does not permit the sale of marijuana for medicinal purposes, but allows a registered patient or designated primary caregiver to possess a small amount of the drug.

We also asked the state Department of Justice for a legal opinion on how this ruling impacts Oregon's program. We are awaiting that opinion, which is expected soon. We are proceeding cautiously until we understand the ramifications of the Supreme Court ruling, still supporting the voter-approved program we have in place, but recognizing we must follow the decision handed down by the high court.

On the Director Search:

Since Gary's departure, the search effort has been under way. The initial steps involved planning how to manage the task. A timeline has been developed and several initial tasks have been completed. These include conversations with a variety of client groups, partners and advocates who have an interest in the appointment. The first advertising of the position will begin July 1.

You will be given an opportunity to express your opinion on what skills we should be looking for in the woman or man who will next lead the agency. We are currently developing a web-based survey for employees to use to help us refine the desired profile. The instrument will also allow folks to share any other opinions they hold regarding the next director. I would hope that work groups might find an opportunity to talk about the next director at a meeting and then individuals would go to the Web to participate in the survey. We will provide you with the link to that survey soon.

The results of the survey, as well as contacts with parties outside the agency, will be presented to DAS and to the Governor's Office. While we can attempt to inform the decision, the ultimate authority in the process is the Governor. The DHS Director is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

This message is intended for all department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.

If you have a disability and need this message to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us, or call (503) 947-5107. You can also fax your request to (503) 373-7690, or call (503) 947-5080 for TTY service. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.