The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, Sept. 3, celebrated its monthly Proclamation Day by approving four proclamations.
“A proclamation serves to honor, celebrate, recognize or create awareness of groups and individuals for their services and achievements or to provide recognition to significant issues affecting our community here in Multnomah County,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.
“Today we’re creating space for four proclamations that raise awareness for pressing health issues affecting our community and to recognize the many ways our community is working to address these issues.”
Kleefstra Syndrome Awareness Day
The Board proclaimed Sept. 17, 2025, as Kleefstra Syndrome Awareness Day in Multnomah County. The proclamation recognizes the newly discovered genetic disorder, bringing attention to the challenges faced by individuals with Kleefstra syndrome, their families and the medical professionals who support them.
Kleefstra syndrome is a disorder that affects chromosome 9, leading to effects that can be similar to those of Down syndrome. And because the syndrome was identified relatively recently, awareness about it and research funding have been limited.
Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon, who co-sponsored the proclamation with the County’s Intellectual and Development Disabilities Services Division, introduced the Holmes family, whom he met about two years ago. Kiante Holmes, the mother, “reached out to ask if we could hold the proclamation to draw awareness to the need as far as services for community members that have this diagnosis,” Commissioner Jones-Dixon said.
“What I’ve learned over the last year is we have a system that’s broken, and it’s a system that’s not built to serve community members that have this diagnosis.… So this is more than just awareness or a day to acknowledge, but also another commitment as far as how we can do better as a county.”
Holmes thanked the many community members in the audience who attended the proclamation ceremony to show support for families affected by Kleefstra syndrome.
“This is just the beginning of what we do to continue to advocate for support and services, not just for our son but for others,” said Holmes.
“Multnomah County recognizes the strength and perseverance of individuals with Kleefstra syndrome, their families and community members,” said Diamond Rodriguez-Lanz, who read the proclamation. “We acknowledge that the slower pace of life for those with Kleefstra syndrome requires immense patience and resilience from the entire K.S. community.”
The proclamation was co-sponsored by Commissioner Jones-Dixon and the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services Division.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
The Board also proclaimed September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in Multnomah County.
This year’s theme, “Creating Hope Through Positive Action,” reflects the County’s collective commitment to changing the narrative on suicide.
Between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, 22 youth in Multnomah County were lost to suicide. Suicide remains the third-leading cause of death among youth ages 10-24 and the 11th-leading cause overall of death in the United States, with youth of color in Multnomah County facing a disproportionately high risk, Black Youth Suicide Prevention Coordinator James R. Dixon shared with the Board.
As he settled into his seat at the dais, Dixon arranged several LED candles on the surface, which represented the 22 youth lost to suicide, and noted that others throughout the boardroom were holding them as well.
The proclamation also honors the people who work to prevent suicides every day.
The County’s Black Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition (BYSPC) has continued to grow, with a recent town hall bringing together over 50 people to discuss the critical alignment of mental health, suicide prevention and culture, Dixon said. The Behavioral Health Division is also implementing the Zero Suicide framework model, funded by a grant, to expand prevention initiatives. In addition, the County’s Behavioral Health Prevention Team continues to lead programs like Get Trained to Help to equip community members with the skills to support someone in crisis, promoting resilience and reducing isolation.
Added Chair Vega Pederson, “At Multnomah County we are able to offer programs and services in schools that help address these mental health needs directly for young people and their families.”
“Suicide prevention is not the work of a few; it is a community-wide commitment,” said Dixon, who read the proclamation. “Every conversation, every safe space, every brave act of empathy contributes to a culture of healing. Together, we can dismantle stigma and build a future where mental wellness is prioritized and supported.”
The proclamation was co-sponsored by Commissioner Meghan Moyer and Interim Behavioral Health Director Anthony Jordan.
Recovery Month
The Board proclaimed September 2025 as Recovery Month in Multnomah County, Oregon. This year’s theme, “Recovery is for everyone. Every person. Every family. Every community,” reflects that recovery from substance use disorder is possible for all, highlighting the importance of support systems and accessible services.
Recovery Month also aims to combat the stigma associated with mental health and substance use disorders. According to the 2024 National Surveys on Drug Use and Mental Health, 9.4 million adults received treatment for substance use and 32 million for mental health conditions.
“This is an area where I’m really proud of the investments that the County has made in recent years to address the huge need in our community,” Vega Pederson said. “This past July, the Behavioral Health Resource Center, a beacon of service right in the heart of our city, celebrated 100,000 visits since opening in December 2022.”
“We’ve been working to expand access to behavioral health services, more addiction treatment and recovery services as well as housing. And more work needs to be done,” added Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards, who co-sponsored the proclamation with the Behavioral Health Division’s Office of Consumer Engagement.
Anthony Jordan, the Behavioral Health Division’s interim director, said he would be celebrating 34 years in recovery this month. “Let us come together to denounce the fallacy that addiction is a life sentence. Instead, we celebrate recovery, an incredible journey of empowerment, healing and transformation.”
Deandre Kenyanjui, a supervisor for the Office of Consumer Engagement, celebrated 10 years of recovery last month. “Recovery is not only possible, but it’s inevitable with the right support."
“By raising awareness and reducing stigma, we can encourage more people to seek the help they need,” said Kenyanjui as he read the proclamation.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Last, the Board proclaimed September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Multnomah County.
Nicole Ek, program director for Candlelighters for Children with Cancer, shared her personal story. A few weeks before her daughter Emme’s 10th birthday, she went to what was a routine appointment, but instead led to a brain cancer diagnosis. Emme now uses a wheelchair and has endured six rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of daily radiation, undergone 18 surgeries, and has lost sight in one eye, has hearing loss, short-term memory loss and chronic fatigue.
Ek said that Candlelighters for Children with Cancer has been “an incredible organization” for her and her family. “Not only is the entire family connected and supported, but they're there for the whole journey, from the initial diagnosis and for as long as the family needs us.”
And now as its program director, Ek said she has “the opportunity to help provide that same connection and support to other families.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children and adolescents in the United States under the age of 20, a devastating reality that also affects racial and ethnic groups differently. However, thanks to breakthroughs and innovations in pediatric oncology, the death rate for childhood cancer has decreased significantly.
Chair Vega Pederson, whose office sponsored this proclamation for the third straight year, said, “Childhood cancer has touched the lives of many people in my life, from family members to friends to employees here at Multnomah County.”
Hospitals in Multnomah County — including OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel and Shriners Children’s Portland — provide services to children undergoing cancer that extend beyond treatment to enhance the quality of life for them and their families. They offer programs like toy distributions, art and pet-assisted therapy, and hospital celebrations, as well as a Hospital School Program in partnership with the Multnomah Education Services District. These services honor a child’s bravery in their fight against cancer while allowing them to continue to experience the joy of being a child.
“For some students, this back-to-school season started in the classroom of our local children’s hospitals,” said Anna Balmaceda, a teacher at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “First day pictures were taken outside patient rooms and the traditional get-to-know-you activities happened between procedures and beeping IV poles. Despite the stressful setting, patients become learners.”
Angie Turner, principal at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital school, read the proclamation.
