On Feb. 13, the House Budget Committee of Congress voted to look for at least $880 billion in spending cuts for programs within the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including Medicaid.
Due to the congressional focus on Medicaid, nonprofits that rely on Medicaid-funded grants and contracts could face significant financial challenges. With less Medicaid funding, these grants may be reduced or eliminated, forcing nonprofits to seek alternative funding sources.
One such organization is Restored Connections Peer Center located in Eugene. Since its opening in January 2023, RCPC has provided no-cost recovery support, overdose prevention and harm reduction services in Lane County.
On March 5, RCPC announced on their Facebook that they were facing a “critical funding cut.” A petition was linked in the post with a request for Eugene community members to sign it and call on the local government to prevent the closure of RCPC.
Without additional funding, RCPC expects to face a reduction in services, beginning July 1, according to Stephanie Cameron, the founder and director of RCPC.
Cameron explained that RCPC’s funding cut is part of a larger, statewide initiative affecting agencies across Oregon. For RCPC specifically, the funding reduction would result in a 75% decrease in staff.
“We have a drop-in center where people can come in, in whatever state they happen to be in,” Cameron said. “At times we need 3 to 4 people available to kind of enact our safety plans and make sure that this individual and more importantly the staff on site are all safe. When we reduce our staffing … it does not provide the infrastructure we need to continue to provide those drop-ins.”
Jace Hall, a lead mentor at RCPC, said that a “big part” of what drew him into his line of work was connecting with those he worked with through peer support.
“I’m somebody that gets it, somebody that understands where they are and can help lead them in a direction that will provide them a better quality of life,” Hall said. “And the other thing that comes with lived experience with substance use disorders — there’s other symptoms, right? That could be co-occurring challenges. There’s a lot of other components that come with lived experience, especially if you have a history with substance use disorder.”
Cameron added that the community’s voice and support for RCPC is “the most powerful thing” they could offer during this time.
“I would say there’s not a lack of resources when it comes to somebody being able to get help,” Cameron said. “There is a lack of knowledge about the resources. Had I known that there were resources out there that could help me figure out all the steps to take while I was trying to figure out what steps to take, it would have been a game changer. That’s why I do what I do today.”
As July 1 approaches, the staff at RCPC hope that increased awareness and support from the community will allow doors to stay open and their mission to continue.
