SALEM, Ore. — State lawmakers have approved funding towards five thousand air purifiers for people at high risk of poor air quality due to wildfires.
Costing the state $4.7 million, the air purifiers make up a slice of the $220 million investment in wildfire prevention and response planning, power plant safety, new building code standards and more.
With the help of the Oregon Health Authority and Jackson Care Connect, the air purifiers will be distributed to homes primarily in Southern Oregon. To make sure the air purifiers reach people who are most in need, they will be going to Oregon Health Plan members who have been diagnosed with chronic heart, lung or cerebral vascular conditions.
Jackson Care Connect is a coordinated care organization that will be working with the OHA to help get the air purifiers into homes. Jennifer Lind, chief executive officer of Jackson Care Connect, said she is committed to getting an air purifier to everyone who is in need.
“They’re looking at things like chronic conditions that are exacerbated by high heat or poor air quality,” said Lind. “They’re looking at people who have asthma, people who have heart conditions and those who are really dependent on being homebound and may not have access to other shelter areas when the air is so bad.”
Lind said Jackson Care Connect plans to start distributing the air purifiers soon and hopes to have them inside people’s homes by this summer. She also said the OHA will soon begin calling people they have identified as high risk to let them know about the air purifiers.
“OHA will be calling people who are considered eligible on their list to let them know and see if they’re interested in having an air filter,” Lind said. “We are guiding people to ask OHA questions directly about the program, especially if they don’t receive a call saying they’re on the list.”
If you or someone you know may be eligible to receive an air filter and do not receive a call from the OHA, you can reach OHA Client Services at (800) 273-0557.
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