We provide a vast array of services that benefit everyone who lives, works or does business in Multnomah County.
We Support Children and Families: We nurture our youngest residents by providing health care services for pregnant women and children; administering school-based health clinics and services; operating immunization clinics; providing lead poisoning prevention services; and more.
We promote literacy and school readiness through programs for new parents; storytimes and other activities at local library branches; services and resources for homeschooling families; and more. We also provide information, consultation and technical assistance to community groups working to prevent and intervene in cases of domestic violence.
We Support Seniors: We help seniors age 60 and older identify and access resources that will allow them to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. We also help seniors stay connected to the community and continue their lifelong education through a variety of resources, groups, events and workshops at local library branches. Additional library services are available for homebound seniors.
We Support People with Special Needs: We help adults with disabilities identify and access resources to help them live independently. We provide case management and service coordination for adults and children with developmental disabilities. We offer a wide range of adaptive services to ensure our library resources are accessible to all. The library also provides homebound services for people who are unable to visit a branch in person.
We Support People Experiencing Poverty and Homelessness: We provide low-cost health and dental care at clinics throughout the county, serving many people who otherwise would not be able to access quality care. We also oversee a number of programs to help families and youth find pathways out of poverty and access emergency, transitional and affordable permanent housing. Job seekers can access free resources for developing computer skills, writing resumes, filling out job applications, filing for unemployment and more at library branches throughout the county.
We Support Veterans: Our Veterans' Services Office provides free representation to veterans and their families to make sure they receive all the state and federal benefits available to them.
We Support People Struggling with Mental Illness and Addiction: We provide mental health services to adults, children and families through an extensive system of care that includes community-based services, respite, sub-acute and inpatient care, residential treatment and transitional housing. We also provide alcohol, drug and gambling addiction prevention and treatment services.
We Protect the Community: The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office patrols over 280 square miles of unincorporated land, investigating crimes, detaining suspected offenders and responding to reports of criminal activity. The Department of Community Justice works to reduce the recurrence of crime by supervising juveniles and adults involved in the criminal justice system and helping them change problem behaviors. The District Attorney prosecutes people who violate state laws or Portland city code in Multnomah County and provides victim assistance services and dependency and child support enforcement.
Beyond criminal justice work, county programs protect the public in many ways. The Health Department performs food safety inspections, administers a food handlers’ certification program, provides communicable disease prevention and surveillance services and more. The Department of Community Services ensures the safety and efficiency of Multnomah County roads and bridges while the Department of Community Assets ensures the safety and accessibility of all county-owned and leased properties. The Sheriff’s Office River Patrol Unit partners with state and federal agencies to provide safe access and passage to the Port of Portland, waterways along the Columbia, Willamette and Sandy rivers, and the Multnomah Channel. The River Patrol Unit also provides search and rescue services to all rivers, lakes, shorelines and islands within Multnomah County.
We Work With Adults and Youth Involved in the Criminal Justice System: We help juveniles and adults involved in the criminal justice system access the resources they need to change problem behaviors. The Sheriff’s Office manages virtually every aspect of life for adults who are jailed in Multnomah County, providing safe and effective corrections services that meet the needs of the courts, the inmates and the community. The Department of Community Justice supervises thousands of adult probationers, parolees and defendants requiring pretrial services; and houses, supervises and -- in conjunction with the Health Department -- provides care for hundreds of juveniles on formal and informal community supervision.
We Support Immigrants and English Language Learners: To make healthcare accessible to all, our Health Department employs culturally competent staff who speak the languages of the people we serve and works with community partners to make sure everyone who needs the health care services we provide knows they’re available and how to access them. Multnomah County Library provides materials in a variety of languages; hosts citizenship classes; and offers resources to help patrons learn to speak, read and write English.
We Protect and Control Animals: We manage a humane shelter, provide pet adoption services, unite lost pets with their owners and offer 24-hour response to animal emergencies and public safety incidents involving animals.
We Protect the Environment: We develop and implement strategies to improve transportation for the community; help protect and preserve wildlife, streams, scenic views, forest lands, and farm and nursery production in Multnomah County; and work to make sure county roadway operations minimize impacts to waterways and natural resources.
We Ensure Local Government Runs Efficiently and Ethically: A number of county departments make sure our services are delivered as efficiently as possible, and that county operations are carried out in a way that is ethical, fiscally responsible and compliant with all applicable laws. The Multnomah County Auditor’s Office independently verifies management decisions that affect the quality and cost of services we deliver, measures the efficiency and success of county activities, and evaluates the safekeeping of county assets. The Budget Office makes sure the county budget process complies with the law, while Finance and Risk Management oversees the financial functions and public procurement and contracting activities for Multnomah County government.
Our Elections division conducts local, city, county, state and federal elections for Multnomah county residents, and Assessment and Taxation collects property tax payments and assesses taxable personal property. The Surveyor's Office reviews and approves land division, maintains public survey records and serves as a resource for county residents with survey-related questions. Our Recording office issues marriage licenses and domestic partnerships, accepts passport applications and provides access to public records. The Office of Multnomah County Attorney serves as the county's legal resource center, providing legal services to county departments and elected officials and representing Multnomah County in state and federal courts. Some programs also provide internal support to staff throughout the county.
