http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2003/0719/local/stories/02local.htm

July 19, 2003

State will pursue federal whooping cough grants

By DON JEPSEN

for the Mail Tribune

SALEM — The co-chairmen of the Ways and Means Committee have reversed a decision and will allow the state to pursue a federal grant to combat an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in Oregon.

Acting quickly Friday, the Ways and Means subcommittee on human resources unanimously approved the request by the Department of Human Services to seek a four-year grant of $325,000 per year. It now goes to the full committee for approval.

The number of pertussis cases this year in Oregon is twice the national average. The outbreak has been particularly severe in Jackson, Lane and Klamath counties.

As of July 4 in Jackson County, 11 cases of pertussis had been confirmed since early May — as many cases as were reported between the years of 1993 and 2002.

An additional 50 cases were reported as "presumptive" — the patients had symptoms and were exposed to someone who had the disease, but their infection was not confirmed by laboratory tests.

The grant money will be used to inoculate adolescents and adults who often spread the disease to youngsters, for whom pertussis can be fatal. Renewable after four years, the grant also will allow the state to develop a strategy for more timely disease control measures.

Approval of the request came after two members of the subcommittee chastised DHS for failing to make clear to legislators what the dollars for the pertussis and other health-related programs would be used for.

"There is a huge lack of communication on both sides," said Rep. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, a physician and member of the subcommittee.

"Some of the grants have not been very clear," he added.

"You have your own buzzwords that you use with each other," said Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, subcommittee chairwoman. "But as legislators we often don't understand them. Clear and concise language can benefit all of us."

Sen. Avel Grodley, D-Portland, was concerned with the number of grants the co-chairmen had denied that benefited low- income people and minorities. "This is regrettable and unacceptable," she said, adding she will support a proposal by Bates to require the full committee to decide which grants to apply for, not just the co-chairmen.

Bates is seeking support for a change in the committee rules. "I think I have four or five members rounded up, but I need a couple more," he said.

Bates said the two co-chairmen, Rep. Randy Miller, R-West Linn, and Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, are opposing the rule change.

Don Jepsen is a free-lance writer living in Salem.

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