Letter of Recognition

Two people cut a ribbon while others smile and clap behind them at the grand opening of Recovery Works.
Group of seven HJRA advocates stand together indoors, smiling, with framed pictures on the wall behind them.

To the BHRN providers, thank you for saving lives, for walking beside people at every stage of their recovery—for showing up, again and again, with compassion, courage, and conviction.

You met with lawmakers. You testified to protect life-saving services. You opened your doors and invited people in—offering tours, sharing stories, and transforming community members and policymakers from passive observers into passionate advocates. Because when people saw your work, they understood: this isn’t just policy—it’s purpose. It’s people. It’s healing in action. Thank you for refusing to give up on people. For offering safety and dignity to those the system had failed. For believing in people when they couldn’t believe in themselves. You saw what others missed: a human being. Someone’s child. Someone’s parent. Someone’s friend—still worthy of care, still worthy of love, still worthy of a second chance. 

You didn’t let people fall through the cracks. You didn’t take no for an answer. You saw the light still flickering in the eyes of someone who thinks they’ve lost everything—and reminded them that they are still here, and that they matter. We are endlessly, profoundly grateful for you. If the world saw people the way you do, we’d live in a community defined by empathy.

Three generations of parent mentors from the Family Nurturing Center, a Measure 110 grantee in Southern Oregon.
Group of 13 HJRA advocates gathered in an office, smiling for the camera, some holding purple folders.
Two people laughing and smiling indoors, one holding a snack package, and another wearing glasses and a fluffy jacket.

To the advocates who showed up time and again—to testify, organize, and demand better: thank you.

You filled hearing rooms, participated in lobby days, made calls, sent emails, and more. You shared your stories with courage and vulnerability, even when it was painful—because you knew it could help someone else. Your voices changed hearts. You shifted the course of policy. You kept the pressure on when it mattered most. This movement was fueled by your courage—and none of this would have been possible without you.

A group of diverse HJRA advocates pose for a photo indoors, standing and kneeling in front of wooden double doors, with windows on the right.

To our policy table, thank you for the insight, leadership, and lived experience that guided our advocacy every step of the way.

You helped shape our legislative agenda with clarity, courage, and deep grounding in community realities. We’re grateful for every meeting, every brainstorm, and every story you brought to the table. Your work made this movement sharper, more accountable, and more powerful—and its impact will continue to ripple forward. 

The HJRA Policy Table served as a diverse and values-driven advisory group made up of BHRN providers, policy advocates, subject matter experts, and people with lived experience of substance use and criminalization. Rooted in racial equity and grounded in the lived realities of frontline care, HJRA's Policy Table helped shape HJRA’s legislative agenda, elevate stories from the field, and lead collective advocacy to protect and improve Measure 110. Their guidance ensured that the voices of those most impacted remained at the center of every policy decision we made. 

To Claudia Black, former HJRA Government Relations Lead: Thank you for working tirelessly behind the scenes, bridging communication between providers, policymakers, and legislative champions.

Your unwavering dedication to relationship‑building and strategic coordination helped ensure Measure 110 services remained in focus—even amid volatile funding landscapes. We are deeply grateful for your strategic leadership, strength, and unwavering wit and humor. 

To Ron Williams, former HJRA Outreach Director: Thank you for your steadfast community organizing through the implementation of Measure 110.

Ron served on the Measure 110 Oversight & Accountability Council, and as an OAC Tri-Chair. Your leadership—from overseeing the approval of Behavioral Health Resource Networks in all 36 Oregon counties, to advocating for culturally responsive grant evaluation processes, was instrumental to building equitable access to care statewide. Thank you, Ron, for anchoring policy in equity, precision, lived experience, and heart. 

To Iris Maria Chavez and Elana Lynn of our government relations team: Thank you for being the unwavering force behind our legislative strategy.

You two make miracles wherever you go, whether that's in the Capitol building during a tough legislative session, or helping us make sense of policy wonk the night before an important hearing. Your tireless behind-the-scenes work helped translate the stories of community providers into real policy wins. Every funding win, every policy defense, every strategic pivot—none of it would have been possible without your leadership, clarity, and commitment. Thank you for helping protect what mattered most, and for ensuring that Oregon’s response to substance use continues to move forward with justice at its core. 

To the skilled coaches, trainers, and consultants who answered the call: Your work helped providers secure critical resources and build long‑term resilience.

Your expertise helped HJRA support over 50 organizations with customized technical assistance—from grant strategy to financial leadership and organizational development. Collectively, you delivered results and provided helpful professional growth opportunities for Measure 110 BHRN Providers. We are so thankful for you! Thanks to the HJRA TA Pool, HJRA was able to facilitate support for providers with: 

  • 40+ grant writing supports during the 2024 RFGA 

  • 17 additional help requests focused on diversifying funding streams 

  • Strategic planning and executive coaching 

  • 59 organizations enrolled in nonprofit financial leadership cohorts 

  • 71 providers engaged in scenario planning webinars with follow‑up coaching 

  • 46 providers supported through Medicaid billing readiness training and toolkits 

Thank you for holding space, sharing tools, and building power with equity at the center.

Former HJRA Executive Director Tera Hurst smiles while wearing a black blazer and a white patterned blouse with hands in her pockets.
Group of 6 HJRA advocates and staff, including former Executive Directors Tera Hurt and Devon Downeysmith, stand indoors, smiling at the camera.

None of this work would have been possible without the leadership of Tera Hurst, HJRA's Executive Director for four years.

Tera, you led with unwavering grit, compassion, and vision. As the driving force behind HJRA, you never wavered. When Measure 110 faced political threats and funding uncertainty, you anchored the movement with laser‑focus and fierce resolve. Your leadership was dogged, tireless, dedicated, and focused. You brought together BIPOC leaders, providers with lived experience, and subject-matter experts at HJRA's Policy Table, and made sure that those experts had seats at the table in rooms where policy decisions impacting their community were being made. 

Thank you, Tera, for carrying our vision through the chaos. For showing us what tenacity in service looks like. For reminding policymakers and communities alike that change is possible—and that it starts with resolve and compassion. We are forever grateful for your leadership, your heart, and your fierce commitment to this work. 

A group of diverse advocates pose outside the state capital, surrounded by cherry blossom trees.

Thank you for believing in this work. Together, we changed the conversation. We built lasting power. We saved lives.  And that impact will continue to ripple far beyond what any of us can see. 

With deep gratitude,

Devon Downeysmith, Executive Director
Health Justice Recovery Alliance