Because peak oil and natural gas presents a serious threat to the economy as a whole, Portland’s preparedness needs to encompass more than energy efficiency. Economic downturn creates more demand for public services, while public revenue declines. Energy and food price increases are especially burdensome for lower-income households, pushing more people into need of assistance. Resources for public health, social services and housing are already stretched thin and may have to be reprioritized and reallocated. People living in poverty will be the most vulnerable to peak oil impacts.
A wide variety of organizations and programs comprise the safety net protecting vulnerable and marginalized populations. Although Portland is just one of many partners, it can participate with County and State partners working to improve coordination and service delivery across agencies. The City can advocate for maintaining funding and support.
A preventive approach is needed to minimize the impacts. Reducing poverty now will mean fewer people who will require assistance in the future. By ensuring reasonable employment, housing, nutritional and educational opportunities for low-income and marginalized populations, more expensive mental health- and health-related problems will be averted.
Action items:
a) Support state and national efforts and explore City options to encourage or mandate health care providers and insurers to emphasize preventive care. Prevention is by far the lowest-cost societal approach to health care.
b) Facilitate a discussion among health care providers to expand health care and health care access (e.g., prescription drugs, immunizations, universal care, reproductive and perinatal health services). Increasing health care costs and numbers of uninsured will lead to more contagious diseases and more severe health issues before treatment is sought, and generally inefficient use of resources (e.g., indigent patients going to emergency rooms for treatment of non-emergency problems). Similar facilitation served a key role in bringing parties together on the Healthy Communities Initiative several years ago.
c) Support prioritization models like an expanded Oregon Health Plan. Health care needs are rising independent of peak oil as the baby boom generation ages, and peak oil threatens to aggravate the problem by limiting resources to meet the increased need.
d) Work with the Oregon Public Utility Commission to provide financial assistance so that marginalized populations can maintain utility service, thereby preventing health or infrastructure problems. Expand energy assistance programs to keep utility services affordable. (See also Recommendation 7f and 7g for discussion of efficiency and weatherization programs.)
e) Police and other service providers should plan for a gradual increase in drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and other problems associated with an increase in unemployment, homelessness and marginalized populations. For example, this may require an increase in staffing or a reallocation of resources, such as reinforcing the emphasis on community policing.
f) Strengthen current hunger relief systems. Work with the Oregon Food Bank to develop plans to prepare for increased food demand from a higher percentage of the population. The Oregon Food Bank has systems in place to provide food to low-income citizens, but this system is already stressed.
g) Plan for City subsidization of school breakfast and lunch programs in the event of lower levels of federal support.
h) Review rules such as program eligibility requirements to see whether they should be adjusted as a broader segment of the population is in need.
i) Develop strategies for coping with widespread unemployment (as severe as during the Great Depression), including working with the state to examine how the current unemployment system will require modification. [See also recommendations on sustainable job creation and retraining included with Recommendation 9.]
j) Expand efforts to move Portland households out of poverty, building on coordinated initiatives such as the Ten-year Plan to End Homelessness and the Multnomah County Poverty Advisory Committee.