Clackamas County Stabilization Center Grand Opening Remarks

November 3, 2025

Good afternoon, everyone.

It’s an honor to be here today in Milwaukie. Thank you for inviting me to a celebration of real progress—not only for Clackamas County, but for our entire state. I’m inspired to be here with legislators, city leaders, county officials, healthcare providers, advocates, staff, and members of our community as we officially open the Clackamas County Stabilization Center. 

For too long, Oregon has struggled with a fragmented and insufficient mental health and addiction care system, where too many people fall through the cracks. We see the consequences in our emergency rooms, in our jails, on our streets, and in the heartbreaking stories of families stretched to their limits trying to get help for their loved ones.

People experiencing a mental health crisis don’t need a jail or an emergency room – they need human compassion, connection, health care, and access to services. They need centers like this for a jumping off point for their journey to recovery.  

The Clackamas County Stabilization Center represents an important shift in how we care for our community. It's a space for healing, recovery, and hope. It’s a place where people in crisis will be met with compassion, professionalism, and the support they need—not judgment or delay.

Today, we are celebrating real, meaningful access to services that are too often out of reach. Whether someone is dealing with severe mental illness, struggling with addiction, or trying to navigate these while fighting their way out of homelessness, they will be able to walk through these doors and be met with a path forward.

Of course, there is still a long way to go. We have to keep pushing to get Oregonians the treatment they need and deserve. I’ve made it a priority in my administration to work towards an Oregon where every person can access the care they need, when they need it, and how they need it. This means building more centers like this and educating and supporting the indispensable workers who make that care possible. 

I won’t stop fighting for this vision of Oregon because access to timely, effective mental health care should be the rule, not the exception.

Centers like this don’t happen by accident. The Clackamas County Stabilization Center is a reality because of the compassion, collaboration, and persistence of the people here today. 

I want to thank each and every person who helped bring this vision to life—from the elected leaders to the planners and clinicians; from the construction crews to the case workers. 

Thank you to Clackamas County leadership and the lawmakers who advocated for the funding to address behavioral health crises. 

Thank you to the advocates and community partners who believe in a better way. By offering kindness and hope during someone’s darkest hour, you are building a stronger and more resilient community for all of us. 

Your work will change lives. 

Now, let’s open these doors and welcome a new chapter of care, dignity, and healing.

Thank you, and let’s cut that ribbon.