<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Calibri Light";
panose-1:2 15 3 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Dear Oregon public defense providers,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">We know the past nine months have been extremely challenging. You have remained committed to advocating for fair and just outcomes for our community’s indigent clients,
while at the same time navigating changing COVID-19 protocols, court delays, and personal risks to your health and the health of your loved ones. We are grateful for your dedication.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">At the Office of Public Defense Services (OPDS), our job is to help you do your job by removing barriers and advocating for resources and support. This includes access
to COVID-19 vaccines. We believe that public defense providers — including attorneys, support staff, mitigators, investigators, interpreters, and additional personnel who support public defense work for indigent clients — are essential workers. Our community
assumes similar exposure risks as jail, court, and law enforcement personnel while performing their duties. Additionally, the clients you serve are frequently among the most vulnerable members of our communities, for whom stable access to healthcare and other
supports is not a given. As such, we believe public defense providers should be given access to the vaccine during the same phase as other non-healthcare essential workers. We began outreach to our state government partners last month when we sent a
<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oregon.gov%2Fopds%2FDocuments%2FOPDS%2520Ltr%2520-%2520Oregon%2527s%2520Vaccine%2520Prioritization%2520Plan%2520-%252011132020.pdf&data=04%7C01%7CBridget.Budbill%40opds.state.or.us%7C04a4c01929a74b968b2608d8a6d65e86%7C9b3a1822c6e047c7a089fb98da7887be%7C0%7C0%7C637442786927117022%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=lrl2qyarcwflQcCIVzEVhLGkqC8vrEIA9CltM5JY%2BCk%3D&reserved=0">
letter</a> to the Governor’s office and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) framing why public defense providers are essential workers. This month, we reached out to the OHA for additional information and engagement in statewide vaccination planning on behalf
of the public defense community. We will keep you updated on our progress. <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">In the meantime,
<b>we need to hear from you</b> about how you are managing COVID-19 risks within the scope of your public defense work.
<b>Please fill out this <span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FZFQN3SY&data=04%7C01%7CBridget.Budbill%40opds.state.or.us%7C04a4c01929a74b968b2608d8a6d65e86%7C9b3a1822c6e047c7a089fb98da7887be%7C0%7C0%7C637442786927117022%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=NzVvz5Z%2F1KufAoBcuPTZgw7F8ujwHHJ%2BwJtdDKb%2BSmY%3D&reserved=0">3-minute
online survey</a></span> by 5 p.m., on January 4th</b>, to let us know, among other things, the frequency of your in-person interaction while performing your duties. This information will help us spell out why our state should prioritize our community for
vaccination.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions, please reach out to me via email at
<a href="mailto:Bridget.Budbill@opds.state.or.us">Bridget.Budbill@opds.state.or.us</a> or by phone at 503-779-7329.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Bridget<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Bridget Budbill<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Legislative Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.oregon.gov/opds/pages/default.aspx">Oregon Office of Public Defense Services</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Desk: 971-332-1124<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Cell: 503-779-7329<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Email: bridget.budbill@opds.state.or.us</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>