by Geon, Bryan
Free Clinic of SW Washington, 4100 Plomondon St, Vancouver, 360-313-1390, www.freeclinics.org
The Multnomah County Health Department (www.multco.us/health) operates several safety-net clinics in Portland and Gresham; for clinic appointments call 503-988-5558.
The Wallace Medical Concern (503-489-1760, www.wallacemedical.org), is based in the Rockwood area of East Portland/Gresham, and also operates a mobile medical clinic five days a week as well as an Old Town clinic on Thursday evenings.
Pharmacies
Most hospitals and large clinics have their own pharmacies. So do most major supermarkets, discount stores, and warehouse stores, including Fred Meyer (800-576-4377, www.fredmeyer.com/pharmacy/), Safeway (877-723-3929, www.safeway.com), Albertsons (877-932-7948, www.albertsons.com), Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/cp/pharmacy/5431), Bi-Mart (541-344-0681, www.bimart.com), Costco (800-607-6861, www.costco.com), and Target (877-798-2743, www.target.com). In addition to such national drugstore chains as Rite Aid (800-748-3243, www.riteaid.com) and Walgreens (800-925-4733, www.walgreens.com), Portland still has a fair number of friendly, independently owned pharmacies; just walk or drive around your neighborhood, or look in the Yellow Pages under “Pharmacies” for locations.
The following pharmacies are open 24 hours. Many emergency hospitals also have 24-hour pharmacies on-site.
Rite Aid: 2021 NW 185th Ave, Hillsboro, 503-645-7704; 10860 SE Oak St, Milwaukie, 503-652-8058
Walgreens: 14600 SW Murray Scholls Dr, Beaverton, 503-579-1878; 13939 SW Pacific Hwy, Tigard, 503-670-9812; 1950 NE Burnside Rd, Gresham, 503-674-8482; 1905 SE 164th Ave, Vancouver, 360-885-2938
Advance Directives
An advance directive allows you to state your wishes for medical care in the event that you are unable to make decisions for yourself; it also allows you to designate a person who will make health care decisions on your behalf. If you already have an advance directive in another state, it is a good idea to complete the form in your new state to ensure your wishes are honored. Oregon advance directives are available online at www.oregon.gov/DCBS/insurance/SHIBA/topics/pages/advancedirectives.aspx; hard copies are available from Oregon Health Decisions (503-692-0894, 800-422-4805, www.oregonhealthdecisions.org), or from most hospitals. You can download a Washington health care directive at a number of websites, including that of the Washington State Medical Association (www.wsma.org/advance-directives); hard copies are available from hospitals or physicians.
Health Law—Protecting Private Information
A variety of federal and state laws, most notably the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), restrict health care providers’ ability to use and disseminate personal health information. The general rule is that a provider cannot share your health information with a third party unless you have given your written consent or there is a law that authorizes the provider to share your information. If you believe your right to privacy of medical records has been violated, you can file a complaint with the United States Department of Health and Human Services at their Region X Office for Civil Rights in Seattle. For details on how to file a complaint, visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/ or call 800-368-1019.
Consumer Protection
The best way to avoid becoming a victim of fraud is to work to prevent it in the first place. Read all contracts down to the smallest print, save all receipts and cancelled checks, get the names of telephone sales and service people with whom you deal, date every paper you sign, make sure contractors are properly licensed and bonded, and check with the Attorney General’s office or the Better Business Bureau for complaints before you do business with a company.
Sometimes, despite your best efforts and suspicious nature, you’ll get ripped off. You negotiate, calmly but firmly and with documents in hand, but to no avail. What can you do? First, contact the local Better Business Bureau at 503-212-3022 (Oregon) or 206-431-2222 (Washington) or online at www.bbb.org/alaskaoregonwesternwashington/. This organization will keep a permanent record of unresolved complaints, but its first priority is to encourage its affiliated businesses to address all reasonable complaints promptly and thoroughly. The BBB will not get involved until you have exhausted the usual channels of complaint—contacting the supervisor, manager, or owner, for example. You can also file a complaint—or threaten to file a complaint—with the Federal Trade Commission (877-382-4357, www.ftc.gov) or with the agency responsible for consumer protection in the state where the offending business is located:
Oregon Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, 503-378-4320, 877-877-9392 (toll-free in Oregon), www.doj.state.or.us/consumer/
Washington State Office of the Attorney General, 800-551-4636 (to request that a complaint form be mailed to you), www.atg.wa.gov/FileAComplaint.aspx
If all else fails, you can go to court—unless your contract provides for mandatory arbitration. (You did notice that arbitration clause in paragraph 37 when you read the contract in full, right?) You can file a small claims action without an attorney in cases where the amount at issue is $7,500 or less ($5,000 or less in Washington). Contact the clerk of court in your county for details. The Oregon State Bar has useful information about consumer protection and small claims court on its website (www.osbar.org), and also operates a lawyer referral service; call 503-684-3763 or 800-452-7636, or visit the website for details. In Clark County, Washington, contact the Clark County Bar Association’s Southwest Washington Lawyer Referral Service at 360-695-0599.
Services for People with Disabilities
Getting Around
Cars
To obtain a disabled person parking permit, contact the Oregon DMV (503-299-9999, www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages/driverid/disparking.aspx). (In Washington, apply to the state Department of Licensing, 360-902-3770, TTY 360-664-8885, www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/parking.html.)
The car rental companies listed in the Transportation chapter can usually accommodate special needs with 48 to 72 hours’ notice.
Public Transportation
Given at least 24 hours’ notice, most local and national passenger carriers will make any needed accommodations for passengers with special needs.
TriMet is fully accessible; buses have ramps or power lifts, light rail (MAX) cars and the Portland Streetcar have extending ramps, and WES commuter train car floors are flush with the platform. Stations have Braille signage, and bus operators announce stops in advance; computerized recordings announce stops on MAX and the Portland Streetcar. Service animals are allowed on all public transit. People with disabilities travel at reduced fares. For more information, visit TriMet’s accessibility page (www.trimet.org/access/) or call 503-962-2455 (TTY 711). TriMet’s LIFT paratransit program offers shared-ride transportation for people whose disabilities prevent them from using fixed-route public transportation. Call 503-962-8000, option 2 (TTY 711) for details or visit www.trimet.org/lift/. Portland’s aerial tram is also fully accessible.
Ride Connection (503-226-0700, www.rideconnection.org) helps older adults and people with disabilities with transportation to jobs, medical appointments, shopping, or local transport hubs. Their RideWise program helps people with disabilities to travel independently on public transportation.
In Clark County, C-TRAN (360-695-0123, www.c-tran.com) operates lift-equipped buses. C-TRAN also operates the C-VAN paratransit service; visit www.c-tran.com/c-tran-services/c-van-and-accessible-service or call 360-695-8918 (TTY 360-695-9715) for details.
Air Travel
The U.S. Department of Transportation publishes a free booklet entitled New Horizons: Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability, also available online at www.airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/horizons.htm. For more information, call the DOT Disability Hotline at 800-778-4838 (TTY 800-455-9880).
Travel Resources
Adventures Without Limits, 1341 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove, 503-359-2568, www.awloutdoors.com, designs outdoor adventure activities for people of all abilities.
The Boulevard (www.blvd.com) is a web portal for disability resources that includes a section on accessible travel and recreation.
Eugene-based Mobility International USA (541-343-1284, www.miusa.org) publishes several guides to international travel, exchange, and development for people with disabilities.
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality, 212-447-7284, www.sath.org
Communication
Telecommunications Relay Service allows deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to communicate with hearing people through a trained operator using a text telephone (TTY). The relay operator translates both parties’ words verbatim and is required by law to keep all conversations strictly confidential. The service is free. To use the service, dial 711 from any phone or call 800-735-1232 (from Oregon) or 800-833-6388 (from Washington).
Access Services Northwest, 503-457-5000, www.asnwonline.com, and Northwest American Sign Language Associates, 503-267-4861, www.nwasla.com, provide sign language interpreters and other communication facilitation services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing individuals in Oregon and southwest Washington.
Independent Living
Independent Living Resources (2410 SE 11th Ave, 503-232-7411, TTY 503-232-8408, www.ilr.org) offers up-to-date information about, and advocates for, accessible housing, transportation, employment, and other community resources. The Washington State Independent Living Council (800-624-4105, wasilco.org) coordinates independent living centers in Washington. (There are none in Southwest Washington at press time, however.)
Additional Resources
The most comprehensive sources of information for people with special needs are www.disAbility.gov, a portal to hundreds of federal government sites and related links, and the International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet, www.icdri.org. A few local resources include:
The Arc of Multnomah-Clackamas (503-223-7279, www.thearcmult.org) provides information and referrals for people with developmental or mental disabilities. The Arc of Southwest Washington (360-254-1562, www.arcswwa.org) performs the same role in southwest Washington.
The website of Multnomah County Aging and Disability Services (multco.us/ads) includes a comprehensive database of services and resources for people with disabilities. It also operates a 24-hour helpline (503-988-3646).
Disability Rights Oregon (503-243-2081, 800-452-1694, www.droregon.org) provides legal advocacy and protection for Oregon residents with disabilities. This organization provides information and advice about issues including civil rights, special education, rights to services, health care, and guardianship. The Alliance of People with Disabilities (206-545-7055, 866-545-7055, www.disabilitypride.org) offers similar services to Washington residents.
The Oregon Department of Human Services’ division for Aging and People with Disabilities (503-945-5811, 800-282-8096, www.oregon.gov/DHS/spwpd/) has assembled a wealth of useful information and helpful links on their website. In Washington, the state’s Aging and Long-Term Support Administration, 360-725-2300, www.altsa.dshs.wa.gov, provides a similar function.
Services for Seniors
The federal government’s Senior Citizens’ Resources web page (www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml) is a useful starting place for general information for seniors, including tips on consumer protection, health, housing, and finances. In Oregon, contact the state Department of Human Services’ Aging and People with Disabilities division (503-945-5811, 800-282-8096, www.oregon.gov/DHS/spwpd) for information about services for Oregon seniors. In southwest Washington, the Southwest Washington Agency on Aging and Disabilities (888-637-6060, www.helpingelders.org) is a helpful resource.
Seniors with mobility difficulties or disabilities should peruse the “Getting Around” section of Services for People with Disabilities, above. Note that TriMet and other public transit agencies charge a reduced fare for “honored citizens.” The following are a few more local resources for older adults.
Adult Placement Network, 503-659-2029, www.adultplacementnetwork.com, is a referral agency for retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and other housing options for older adults who cannot or choose not to live alone.
Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon, 855-673-2372, www.adrcoforegon.org, helps connect seniors to local services.
Meals-on-Wheels, 503-736-6325, www.mealsonwheelspeople.org, provides nutritious hot lunches to people over the age of 60 at dozens of meal sites in Multnomah, Washington, and Clark counties, and delivers hot lunches to seniors who are unable to come to a meal site.
Metropolitan Family Service, 1808 SE Belmont St, 503-232-0007, www.metfamily.org, reaches out to older adults through programs that encourage and assist with independent living and provide volunteer opportunities for seniors.
Multnomah County’s Aging and Disability Services (503-988-3646, multco.us/ads) provides information about services for seniors, and in some cases operates those services (such as cooling centers for seniors in extremely hot weather).
Portland State University’s Senior Adult Learning Center, 503-725-4739, www.sites.google.com/a/pdx.edu/salc/home, provides continuing education for seniors and allows people over 65 to audit regular PSU classes for free.
The website of Seniors Housing Together (seniorshousingtogether.com) offers tips on selecting housing options for seniors. If you are looking for a shared housing situation for older adults, Let’s Share Housing (503-719-5444, www.letssharehousing.com) is a good place to start.
Services for International Newcomers
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 300,000 Oregonians were born in other countries. The Portland area is home to tens of thousands of immigrants, including substantial communities from Mexico, Southeast Asia, Russia, Ukraine, West and East Africa, and the Indian subcontinent.
If you are one of these international newcomers, or if you want to be, a variety of helpful information is available online at the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website (uscis.gov). If you have specific questions, you can also contact the USCIS national customer service center (800-375-5283, TTY 800-767-1833). (Once you know what you need to do, you’ll inevitably have to fill out paperwork.)
If you need legal aid in immigration matters, you can contact one of the following organizations:
Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services, 2740 SE Powell Blvd # 2, 503-542-2855, www.catholiccharitiesoregon.org/services_legal_services.asp
Immigration Counseling Service, 519 SW Park, Suite 610, 503-221-1689, www.immigrationcounseling.org
Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR), 7931 NE Halsey St, Suite 314, 503-284-3002, www.emoregon.org/soar.php
International newcomers who are experiencing culture shock can get a quick overview of American culture, etiquette, expectations, and quirks in the Newcomer’s Handbook for Moving to and Living in the USA by Mike Livingston, published by First Books. Call 503-968-6777 or visit www.firstbooks.com to order a copy.
Consulates
Most foreign consulates on the West Coast are located in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and/or Seattle. The following countries have honorary consuls in Portland, who may or may not be able to assist citizens of the nations they nominally represent: Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Addresses and telephone numbers for most of these honorary consulates are listed in the Yellow Pages under “Consulates & Foreign Governments”; unlisted consuls are unlikely to be of much use to foreign nationals.
There are two full consulates in Portland:
Consulate General of Japan, 2700 Wells Fargo Center, 1300 SW 5th Ave, 503-221-1811, www.portland.us.emb-japan.go.jp
Consulate of Mexico, 1305 SW 12th Ave, 503-274-1442, consulmex.sre.gob.mx/portland/
Gay and Lesbian Life
Portland regularly appears in top-ten
lists of the best cities in the U.S. for gays and lesbians. While the “studies” that generate these lists are generally based less on rigorous analysis than on a desire for page views and magazine sales, Portland’s inclusion comes as no surprise. For many years, the city has had a large, thriving gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community. By some estimates, nearly 10% of inhabitants of Portland proper self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Rainbow flags and “Queer Nation” bumper stickers are common in neighborhoods in much of the city (and to a lesser extent, in some of the suburbs), and Sam Adams, mayor from 2009 to 2013, was the first openly gay mayor of a large U.S. city.
While Portland is on the whole a tolerant and friendly home for gay singles, couples, and families, homophobia and discrimination certainly exist. In 2007 Oregon passed legislation outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment, public education, and public accommodations, with some exemptions for religious organizations. (Washington passed a similar law in 2006.) A 2004 Oregon ballot measure amending the state constitution to ban gay marriage passed with nearly 57% of voters in favor (although majorities in two counties, including Multnomah County, voted against the measure). This ban was overturned in federal court in 2014, but by then attitudes toward same-sex marriage in Oregon (as elsewhere in the country) had changed dramatically, and a planned 2014 ballot measure to repeal the ban—a measure the court decision made unnecessary—was widely expected to pass. Across the Columbia, Washington voters had already legalized same-sex marriage by referendum in 2012.
GLBT Resources
The biweekly arts, entertainment, and news magazine Just Out (www.justout.com) is an indispensable source of information about Portland’s GLBT community. Portland’s Gay and Lesbian Yellow Pages (www.PDXGayYellowPages.com), available for free at many area libraries, bookstores, and business, lists gay-owned or gay-friendly businesses, and includes listings for local GLBT clubs and organizations. (Otherwise, beyond being smaller than the phone company’s Yellow Pages and having generally more interesting ads, it’s really just a phone directory.) There are too many organizations that address the concerns and interests of GLBT community in Portland to list them all here, but the following organizations are a good starting point: