Impact Stories
Explore stories showcasing the impact and innovation of Oregon’s local public health authorities. From workforce development to community health initiatives, discover how local public health is making a difference across the state.
Alcohol Awareness Month: What Oregonians Need to Know About Excessive Drinking
Published 4/27/26
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. With one in five Oregon adults drinking excessively and more than 2,500 alcohol-related deaths each year, it’s time to rethink how alcohol shows up in our communities. Learn about the health risks, local public health’s prevention work, and how small actions can create healthier spaces for everyone.
Local Public Health Wins from Oregon’s 2026 Legislative Session
Published 3/16/26
Oregon’s 35-day short session moved fast, but local public health kept pace. Six bills supported by CLHO passed both chambers of the Oregon Legislature, spanning vaccine access, smoke-free housing, HPV prevention, mobile pharmacy services, and school safety — with the state budget protecting Public Health Modernization funding along the way. This impact story breaks down what passed, what didn’t, and the legislative champions who showed up for Oregon’s communities when it mattered most.
Celebrating Oregon’s Public Health Champions: 2025 Legislative Scorecard
Despite a challenging 2025 legislative session with no new public health funding, dedicated legislators stepped up as champions for Oregon’s communities. CLHO’s first-ever Legislative Scorecard recognizes 16 lawmakers who demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to public health infrastructure. While critical bills never reached full votes, these champions laid essential groundwork for future advocacy success—proving that supporting public health is a long game worth playing.
CLHO Board Member Appointed to State Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission
Dr. Tim Lynch, CLHO Board Member and Coos County Public Health Director, brings local public health perspectives to Oregon’s statewide substance use policy table. As a newly appointed member of the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, Dr. Lynch’s unique combination of clinical expertise, rural health experience, and community engagement ensures that the realities of local implementation inform state-level prevention strategies—a significant win for Oregon’s 33 local public health authorities.
Innovations in Mobile Health: Bringing Services to Communities
Oregon counties are breaking down barriers by delivering health services where people live, work, and gather. CLHO’s December 2025 webinar showcased real-world innovations—from tri-county mobile apps tracking service locations to community paramedicine programs reducing hospital visits. These mobile units do more than provide clinical care; they build trust, raise awareness, and advance health equity by meeting communities exactly where they are.
Impact Story | Alcohol Awareness Month: What Oregonians Need to Know About Excessive Drinking
Published 3/27/26
April marks Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to reflect on how alcohol shows up in our lives, celebrations, and communities across Oregon. With one in five Oregon adults drinking excessively, this month has offered an opportunity to rethink our relationship with alcohol and consider ways to support those who want to drink less.
At the Coalition of Local Health Officials (CLHO), we represent Oregon’s 33 local public health authorities who work every day to protect and promote the health of Oregonians in every corner of our state. This Alcohol Awareness Month, we wanted to amplify the efforts of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Rethink the Drink to raise awareness of how excessive alcohol use affects communities and to share the incredible work happening locally to address this important public health issue.
More Than Just a Number
Excessive alcohol use affects far more people than those with an alcohol use disorder. It’s a widespread community and public health issue. Each year, more than 2,500 people in Oregon die from excessive drinking — that’s six people every day. These numbers raise important questions about how alcohol became so embedded in everyday life and what steps we can take to protect our health and support our communities.
Many Oregonians who drink excessively don’t fit the stereotype we might picture. People in their 30s and 40s binge drink at close to the same rates as younger adults. The reality is that it’s easy to cross the line into higher-risk drinking without realizing it, partly because our society makes it easy for us to drink this way.
The Health Risks Are Real
The health risks from alcohol extend beyond hangovers and headaches. Excessive drinking increases the risk of:
Seven types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, liver, mouth, throat, voice box, and esophagus cancers
Alcohol use can also disrupt sleep and lead to vehicle crashes and violence in our communities. Its presence in community spaces and at events has grown dramatically, appearing everywhere from holiday gatherings and weddings to fun runs, the movies, barbershops and salons, children’s parties, and even baby showers.
Creating Healthy Communities Together
As spring brings a season of celebration, it’s an important moment for conversations about how alcohol affects our communities and ways we can create safer, more welcoming environments. This is where local public health truly shines — in creating community conditions that make it easier for everyone to live healthier lives.
Even small actions can help:
Eating before drinking
Alcohol Awareness Month is an important time to share this information and ensure that people have access to reliable resources to help them make informed decisions.
Take Action
We’re inviting Oregonians across every county to consider how alcohol affects health, shapes our communities, and ways we can support one another to drink less.
Access Resources:
Learn More About CLHO’s Work:
Thank You to Our Partners
We’re grateful to the Oregon Health Authority and Rethink the Drink for developing comprehensive resources for Alcohol Awareness Month and for their ongoing partnership in supporting healthier communities across Oregon. Their Alcohol Awareness Month toolkit provides valuable materials that organizations and communities can use to raise awareness and start important conversations.
Together, we can create communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Questions or want to get involved?
Contact CLHO to learn more about how local public health is working to create healthier communities across Oregon.
This article was developed using resources from the Rethink the Drink 2026 Alcohol Awareness Month Toolkit, a collaboration between the Oregon Health Authority and partners across the state.