COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Updates

Our public defenders and clients are facing enormous challenges during this public health crisis. The Office of Public Defense Services sends our gratitude to our justice system partners who are working hard to mitigate the spread of disease while protecting civil rights for our clients. These are extraordinary times and it will take extraordinary collaboration and creativity to get through this.

OPDS is committed to supporting and maintaining open communications with public defenders and clients during this period of uncertainty. Stay up to date with the latest information by periodically checking this page.

Justice and Legal System Response

• Oregon's Children Justice Act Task Force
  
• Input is requested on the investigation, prosecution, and judicial handling of child abuse and neglect cases in Oregon. Please complete a brief nine-question survey to help prioritize efforts in the 2021-2023 grant cycle. The survey will close January 18, 2021. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJA21-23 
  
• Oregon Judicial Department
  
• Chief Justice
• If you have feedback or concerns about Chief Justice Orders or their implementation, please send an email to: cjofeedback@ojd.state.or.us  
  
• Chief Justice Order 20-028 Remote Appearances at Arraignments (7/21/20)
  
• Chief Justice Order 20-016 Imposing Level 2 and Level 3 Restrictions on Court Operations (5/15/20)
  
• Chief Justice Order requiring scheduling of habeas corpus hearings (4/7/20)
  
• Chief Justice Order authorizing suspension or waiver of collection fees (3/27/20)
• Amended Chief Justice Order restricting court hearings and operations (3/27/20)
• Chief Justice Letter to Oregon Lawyers About Amended CJO 20-006 (3/27)
• Chief Justice letter to legislature requesting suspension or extension of statutory deadlines for cases (3/24/20)
• Supreme Court
• Oregon Supreme Court alerts and emergency closure information 
• Appellate Courts
• Oregon Appellate Court Chief Judge Order on procedural changes due to COVID (3/30/20)
• Oregon Appellate Courts alerts and emergency closure information
• Circuit Courts
  
• Circuit court alerts and emergency closure information
  
• Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision
  
• Oregon's Parole Board has power to grant medical release in some circumstances (note that this excludes Measure 11 cases). To request early medical release, please email ParoleBoardEarlyReleaseRequests@doc.state.or.us, or call 503-934-0780. (5/5/20)
  
• Oregon State Hospital (OSH)
  
• OSH memo regarding increasing admissions during COVID-19 (06/08/20)
  
• Announcement regarding changes to discharge timing (05/22/20)
  
• Information about OSH COVID-19 Safety Measures
  
• OSH memo regarding increasing admissions during COVID-19 (04/09/20) 
  
• OSH memo regarding admission restrictions during COVID-19 (03/14/20)
  
• Law Enforcement 
  
• Sex offender registration emergency protocol (3/23/20)
  
• Correctional Facilities
• Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC)
• Oregon Department of Corrections COVID-19 preparedness information
  
• If you have a question about any of the steps that DOC is taking to address the crisis, or want to send them your thoughts, DOC has set up an email address for that purpose: OC.COVID19Response@doc.state.or.us
  
• Oregon Youth Authority
  
• OYA blog updates
• Notice of suspended visitation
• Oregon State Bar COVID-19 updates and resources for lawyers
• Office of Administrative Hearings limited in-person hearing notice (3/24/20) 
  
• Department of Human Services
  
• DHS Guidance on In-Person Parent/Child Visits During COVID-19
  
• UPDATED - Guidance for In-Person Parent/Child Visits (8/1/20)
• Visitation Matrix(8/1/20)
• Guidance for In-Person Parent/Child Visits (6/1/20)
  
• Guidance for In-Office Parent/Child Visitation for DHS Staff (6/1/20)
  
• In-Person Parent/Child Visit Guide for Parents and Caregivers (6/1/20)
  
• DHS Child Welfare Procedure Manual - includes important updates related to COVID-19 (4/15/20)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau Letter to State Court Administrators (4/14)
  
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children’s Bureau Letter on Federal Fund Use for Cell Phones and PPE (4/17)
  
• DHS Oregon Child Welfare COVID-19 Resources (4/21/20)
• COVID-19 Guidance regarding visits for children and young adults in the care of DHS (5/1/20)
  
• My NeighbOR emergency response system serving foster families and youth in foster care (4/2/20)
  
• Dear Child Welfare Letter (3/18/20)
  

Habeas Advocacy Resources

• Instructions for filing pro se habeas cases related to COVID-19 (5/7/20)
  
• Blank habeas forms (5/7/20):
  
• COVID-19 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
• Affidavit of Eligibility; Motion for Appointment of Attorney and Order; and Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
  

Juvenile Advocacy Resources

• Court Advocacy Toolkit 
  
• Webinars
• Webinar: Proactive and Creative Legal Strategies to Address Shelter Hearings and Visitation Barriers During the COVID-19 Crisis, presented by Shannon Flowers, OPDS Juvenile Appellate Section Deputy Public Defender, April 17, 2020 at 12 P.M. 
  
• Email Keren.l.Farkas@opds.state.or.us to register.
  
• Webinar: Zealous Advocacy During COVID-19: Practical Tips and Best Practices (Originally aired on 4/2/20, available for archived viewing)
  
• COVID-19 and Child Welfare Cases, presented by The American Bar Association (Originally aired on 4/9/20, available for archived viewing)
  
• COVID-19: The New Normal: Webinar Series, presented by Youth Law Center
  
• Client Communication
  
• Checklists for Checking in with your child, young adult, and parent clients during the Covid-19 crisis (Public Counsel) (4/14/20)
  
• Motion Templates From Other Jurisdictions
  
• Motion to Address Visitation - COVID-19 - Colorado Template (3/26/20)
  
• Social Security Income (SSI) Public Counsel Toolkit (3/26/20)
  
• Advocating Remotely
  
• CAFL Zoom Best Practice Guide (7/31/20)
  
• Handout for Clients to Prepare for Zoom Hearings (7/31/20)
  
• OJD Virtual WebEx Open House Schedule (April 22 - May 1, 2020)
  
• Guidance
  
• Conducting Effective Remote Hearings in Child Welfare Cases (4/8/20)
  
• WEBINAR - Remote Advocacy 2.0: A Follow-up Q&A on Representing Your Client during the COVID-19 Pandemic (Scheduled for April 8, 2020 at 10:00am PST, 11:00am MST)
  
• WEBINAR - Remote Advocacy: Representing Your Client During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Available for archived viewing)
  
• COVID-19 Case Manager Technical Assistance
  
• Please find more information here (4/8/20)
  
• Other Advocacy Resources
  
• Oregon State-wide General Resource Sheet compiled by PCRP Case Manager Work Group (5/12/20)
  
• Virtual Visitation
  
• Parent Tip Sheet for Video Visits (4/17/20)
• March 2020 Virtual Visitation Resources (3/17/20)
  
• Family Visits are an Essential Service for Youth in Foster Care (3/19/20)
  
• When You Can't Be There in Person (3/26/20)
  
• Successful Video Visits With Young Children (3/25/20)
  
• Zero to Three - Five Tips to Make the Most of Video Chats (3/26/20)
  

State of Oregon Response

• Governor Brown’s COVID-19 Information and Resources
• Oregon's COVID-19 Emergency Relief Response (4/7/20)
  
• Oregon Office of Emergency Management COVID-19 Resources Hub (3/30/20)
• Oregon State Legislature
• State Capitol Building Closed to Public
  
• Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus
• COVID Committee policy proposals to the legislature (3/25/20)
  
• View the ongoing hearings of this committee by clicking on the meeting links on the right side of the webpage
  

Health Response

• Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 Updates
  
• Center for Disease Control COVID-19 Information
• World Health Organization COVID-19 Information

Helpful Links

• Oregon Law Center COVID-19 Resources (4/13/20)
  
• Includes information on housing and employment protections, emergency public assistance, consumer protection, and more (in Spanish and English)
  
• OCDLA's Resources for Defenders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis in Oregon (4/7/20)
  
• Prison Policy Initiative's resources for COVID-19 response (4/8/20)
  
• COVID-19 and the Compassionate Release of the Elderly, Infirm or High Risk webinar by the ABA (4/3/20)
  
• Coronavirus Guidance for the Criminal and Immigration Legal Systems by Vera Institute of Justice (3/20)
  
• The Marshall Project's links and resources for coronavirus (4/8/20)
  
• Oregon Justice Resource Center COVID resources and information